4 – David Haston and Family in Van Buren County, TN
230-Plus Events in the Life of David Haston, Phase 4
David Haston and Family in Van Buren County, Tennessee | |||
1840 | Van Buren Co, TN Third District List: When Van Buren County was divided into districts in 1840, David Haston's 295 acres were located in the 3rd district. Thomas Haston was also in the 3rd district, but owned no land. David's sons (Isham B. Haston, Wiley B. Haston, David Mc Haston) and Isaac Haston were located in the 4th district. Isham B. Haston owned 413 acres and Wiley B. Haston owned 225 acres. The others owned no land. Both of these districts included land on or near Cane Creek and the Caney Fork River. | ||
1840 | Van Buren County Tax: David Haston lived in District 3 of Van Buren County, TN and owned 295 acres at the time of this tax record. | ||
1840 | Circuit Court: David Haston and Wiley B. Haston were ordered to serve in the court for the April 1840 circuit court session. | ||
1840 | Road Jury: David Haston and others were appointed to a jury to lay out and mark a first class road from the county seat (Spencer) to the Caney Fork River, toward Sparta (from Spencer to N. Gillentine's place). Their report to the court was made on May 15, 1840 and was recorded officially in the 1840 June term (pages 12-13 of VB County Court Minutes). David Haston and John Gillentine were appointed to assign a list of hands (workers) for this project. | ||
1840 | David Became Justice of the Peace: Both David and Isham B. Haston, David and Peggy's son, became Justices of the Peace in Van Buren Co, TN at this time. They participated as justices in this session of the court. Note: The original document indicates that the commission was recorded on April 23, 1840. (Page 10 of Book 7 [1840-1856], Microfilm Roll # 3, RG 195 [Commission Books] from the TN State Library and Archives) | ||
1840 | County Court Justice: David and Isham B. Haston both served as justices during this county court session. | ||
1840 | County Court Justice: David Haston served as a justice during this county court session. | ||
1840 | County Court Justice: David Haston served as a justice during this county court session. | ||
1840 | County Court Justice: David Haston served as a justice on Monday during this county court session. Isham B. Haston was present on Tuesday. | ||
1840 | Appointed to Road Jury: David Haston, Robert Gamble, Isham B. Haston, Tillman Brown, and David Walker were appointed to lay off and mark a road from Spencer that would intersect with the Sparta to Pikeville road. Report made in December 1840 session (page 31 of court minutes). | ||
1840 | Witnessed Linch A. & William Shockly Indenture: Linch A. Shockly sold some livestock to William Shockly. David Haston witnessed that deal. | ||
1840 | County Court Justice: David Haston and Isham B. Haston served as justices during this county court session. | ||
1840 | County Court Justice: David Haston and Isham B. Haston served as justices during this county court session. | ||
1840 | Two Road Project Reports: David was involved in two reports regarding the lay off and marking of roads: (1) Spencer to Burrel Manoard's (see October session) and (2) Spencer to Pikeville-Sparta road (see November session). | ||
1840 | Juryman: David Haston (possibly "David Martin?") was juryman for a case involving Nathan F. Trogden v. John Stipe, during the December session. He was not appointed as a regular member of the jury at the outset of this session, but appears on the jury for this case, and this case only in the December 1840 session. | ||
1841 | County Court Justice: David Haston served as a justice during this county court session. | ||
1841 | Van Buren County Tax: David Haston lived in District 3 of Van Buren County, TN and owned 295 acres at the time of this tax record. | ||
1841 | Grandchild (Edward Cyrus Moore) Born: This child was a son of Loucinda but was reared by his grandparents, David and Margaret Haston. His father's first name and fate are unknown to us. Although he was born as Edward Cyrus Moore, he later took on the Haston surname. He was known as Edward Moore in his stepfather's (Abraham Trogdon, Sr.) 1855-1857 estate sale. He was then known as E.C. Haston from 1860 until his death in Warren Co, TN in 1898. According to the 1900 Warren County, TN census, Loucinda only bore one child and that child was not living at the time of the census. Cynus [sic] Haston was married to Carline Grissom in Van Buren County, TN on June 1860, by P. Moore, M.G.. (Source: Page 46 of WPA transcriptions of Van Buren County, TN Marriage Records, Book A, 1840-1861.) | ||
1841 | Enumeration of Van Buren Co Males: David Haston appears on a list of Van Buren County males over 21 years of age. | ||
1842 | Van Buren County Tax: David Haston lived in District 3 of Van Buren County, TN and owned 295 acres at the time of this tax record. | ||
1842 | Trial Witness: David Haston seems to have witnessed a trial in a case that dealt with condemning some of Vardry Camp's land in order that it could be sold for payment of a debt to Anthony A.W. Dibrell. | ||
1842 | Juryman: David Haston was a juryman on the case of James Wright v. John R. Clark. | ||
1843 | Van Buren County Tax: David Haston lived in District 3 of Van Buren County, TN and owned 295 acres at the time of this tax record. | ||
1843 | Juryman: Summoned and elected to the jury of the April 1843 session of the circuit court, as of April 24, 1843. | ||
1843 | Indicted for Assault on John T. Shockley: The Grand Jury returned this indictment to court: The State of Tennessee against David Haston for an assault and battery on the body of John T. Shockley, a true bill. | ||
1843 | Found guilty for Assault and Battery: State v. David Haston (assault & battery on John T. Shockley). The indictment for this case had been brought to court in the August 1843 session. David Haston pleaded "not guilty." The jury (Arthur Mitchell and other close relatives to David Haston were not on this jury) found him guilty. He was fined $5.00 and court costs and was placed under the custody of the sheriff until he paid the fine and court costs. William Shockley, Jr. came into court and made himself security for David Haston's fine and court costs. | ||
1843 | Removed from a Jury: In the case of James Brown v. James Sparkman and John Sparkman, David Haston was withdrawn from the jury, but no reason is given. | ||
1844 | Van Buren County Tax: David Haston lived in District 3 of Van Buren County, TN and owned 295 acres at the time of this tax record. | ||
1844 | Juryman: David Haston summoned to jury duty on the Grand Jury of the April 1844 session of the circuit court, as of April 22, 1844. David Haston and James A. Haston were elected to and empanelled on that Grand Jury. | ||
1844 | Juryman: David Haston was on the jury in the case of State v. Thomas Stipe, John L. Grissom, and William Lawson (presentment for gaming). | ||
1844 | Juryman: David Haston was on the jury in the trial of Lorenzo Dilleron (spelling?) v. Joseph Lane (debt). | ||
1844 | Juryman: David Haston was on the jury in the trial of William Overton v. John Sparkman and James Sparkman (appeal). | ||
1844 | Performed a Wedding: David Haston, J.P. officiated the wedding of John Brock and Susana Shockley in Van Buren County, TN. | ||
1845 | Van Buren County Tax: David Haston lived in District 3 of Van Buren County, TN and owned 295 acres at the time of this tax record. | ||
1845 | Juryman: David Haston was a juryman on the case of State v. Hiram Tacket (rape of a minor girl), Mary Davis the prosecutor. The case was postponed until the next morning so that the jury could arrive at a verdict. See page 242 entry below. | ||
1845 | Juryman: Continuation of State v. Hiram Tacket (rape of minor girl), Mary Davis the prosecutor. The jury had not come to a verdict so they were sequestered for another day to do so. | ||
1845 | Juryman: Continuation of State v. Hiram Tacket (rape of minor girl), Mary Davis the prosecutor. Again, the jury could not arrive at a verdict. The jury was dismissed and the case was rescheduled for the next session of circuit court. The defendant was kept in jail for safe keeping. | ||
1845 | Performed a Wedding: David Haston, J.P. officiated the wedding of Joseph C. Haston and Martha Denney in Van Buren County, TN. | ||
1845 | Summoned to the Jury: David Haston was summoned to the jury for this August 1845 session of circuit court. He was not elected to the main jury for this session. His role was probably to continue the case of State v. Hiram Tacket. See the note below. | ||
1845 | Juryman: David Haston was a juryman on the case State v. John Wallis and James Smith (presentment for open and notorious lewdness). | ||
1845 | Juryman: David Haston was a juryman on the case State v. David Meadows (assault & battery), Nancy Law the prosecutor. | ||
1845 | Juryman: David Haston was a Juryman on the case The President and Directors of the Bank of Tennessee v. James Sparkman, John Sparkman, Andrew J. McElroy, and Joel Douglass (debt). | ||
1845 | Performed a Wedding: David Haston, J.P. officiated the wedding of Shadrach Mooneyham and Margaret Haston in Van Buren County, TN. | ||
1846 | Van Buren County Tax: David Haston lived in District 3 of Van Buren County, TN and owned 295 acres at the time of this tax record. | ||
1846 | State v. Elias Cole, David Haston, and Isaac Haston (affray): Thomas Stipe was the prosecutor. Isaac Haston pleaded guilty and was fined $2.50 and court costs. William Hodges was security for Isaac's fine and costs. No mention is made of David Haston's response or court action related to him. | ||
1846 | Performed a Wedding: David Haston, J.P. officiated the wedding of George W. Christian and Jane Haston in Van Buren County, TN. | ||
1846 | Affray Case in Court Again: State v. Elias Cole and David Haston (affray), Thomas Stipe was the prosecutor. An order was issued to the sheriff of White County to arrest Elias Cole and return him to the next session of the circuit court for Van Buren County. David Haston was not mentioned, other than in the title of the case. | ||
1846 | Affray Case in Court Again: State v. David Haston and Elias Cole (affray), Thomas Stipe was the prosecutor. David Haston pleaded "not guilty." The jury declared David Haston to be "guilty" as charged and fined him $2.50 and court costs. William F. Carter was security for David Haston's fine and court costs. Source: Page 312 of Van Buren County, TN Circuit Court Minutes - Volume A - August 1846 session. | ||
1846 | Not Associated with Burritt College: David Haston's name was not associated with the stockholders or trustees of Spencer, TN's Burritt College. Burritt College was affiliated with the Christian Church. | ||
1847 | Van Buren County Tax: David Haston lived in District 3 of Van Buren County, TN and owned 295 acres at the time of this tax record. | ||
1847 | Performed a Wedding: David Haston, J.P. officiated the wedding of Nathaniel Moore and Louisa Hopkins in Van Buren County, TN. | ||
1847 | Performed a Wedding: David Haston, J.P. officiated the wedding of M.G. Haston and Rachel Wheeler in Van Buren County, TN. | ||
1847 | Performed a Wedding: David Haston, J.P. officiated the wedding of John C. Haston and Nettie Howard in Van Buren County, TN. | ||
1848 | Van Buren County Tax: David Haston lived in District 3 of Van Buren County, TN and owned 295 acres at the time of this tax record. | ||
1848 | David Purchased Lots in Spencer, TN: David purchased seven lots when the town of Spencer (county seat of Van Buren Co) was "laid off." He sold them later. One of them (Lot # 44) was sold to the Christian Church on February 5, 1853 for $20. David originally paid $14 for the lot (or for all seven of the lots?). Aaron Seitz and W.B. Huddleston were bishops of the church at that time. Willie Steakley and William Lewis were witnesses to the transaction. | ||
1849 | Van Buren County Tax: David Haston lived in District 3 of Van Buren County, TN and owned 295 acres at the time of this tax record. | ||
1849 | Sold Spencer Lot # 41: David Haston sold Lot # 41 to William Shockly for $75.00. John Gillentine and Witson Griffon were witnesses. The transaction was recorded by County Court Clerk Arthur L. Parker on August 2, 1852. | ||
1850 | Federal Census for Van Buren County: David Hastion was in the 1850 US Federal Census for Van Buren County (3rd District), TN. These persons are included in his household: Hastion, David 74; Margaret 64; Katherine 13; Richmond J. 12; Seyrus E. 10. The record indicates that David was born in VA and that Margaret was born in NC. | ||
1850 | Van Buren County Tax: David Haston lived in District 3 of Van Buren County, TN and owned 295 acres at the time of this tax record. | ||
1850 | Security for Thomas Stipe and Vass Lawson: David and M.G. Haston, along with several other men, appeared in court and indebted themselves to the court as security for Thomas Stipe and Vass Lawson, in the case State v. Thomas Stipe and Vass Lawson (lewdness). | ||
1851 | Van Buren County Tax: David Haston lived in District 3 of Van Buren County, TN and owned 245 acres at the time of this tax record. Note that this is 50 acres less than the previous year's tax record. | ||
1851 | Juryman: Summoned to jury duty for this August 1851 term, beginning August 25, and was elected to the Grand Jury. | ||
1852 | Van Buren County Tax: David Haston lived in District 3 of Van Buren County, TN and owned 245 acres (same as the previous year) at the time of this tax record. | ||
1852 | Sold Spencer Lots #48, #49, #50: David sold these lots to Joel Dunlap for $265. W.B. Cummings and Harmon York were witnesses. The transaction was recorded by County Court Clerk Arthur L. Parker on October 14, 1853. | ||
1853 | Van Buren County Tax: David Haston lived in District 3 of Van Buren County, TN and owned 295 acres at the time of this tax record. This was the same amount that David owned earlier, except for 1851 & 1852 (245 acres for those two years). In years subsequent to 1853, David's tax record does not indicate any ownership of property. Did he transfer his property to family members at this time? It may be significant that David's youngest son, William Carroll Haston, owned 50 acres previous to 1854 but owned 284 acres at the time of the 1854 tax record. Perhaps he inherited or purchased his father's (David's) land holdings. | ||
1853 | David Sold Lot # 44 to Spencer Christian Church: See the above 1848 entry. He sold the lot for $20.00, which is more than he paid for it. But he gave the church a good deal on this lot, since he had sold the four of the other lots for $75 each. | ||
1853 | David Owned Daniel's Home Place: On this day, David's son, Isaac T. Haston was granted 215 acres from the state of TN on the waters of the Caney Fork. The description of the boundaries of this tract mention "the mouth of David Haston's Spring branch." This is likely to be a description of the big spring ("Haston's Big Spring") that flows out of the hillside just below where Daniel Haston's ("Haston Station") house was located. Thus, it seems to indicate that David Haston owned the property where his father lived. | ||
1854 | Transfer of Land to William Carroll Haston, Sr.: David sold five tracts of land (apparently, all of his land) to his youngest son, William Carroll Haston, for the meager price of $1000. | ||
1854 | Sold Spencer Lot # 46: David sold lot # 46 to F.E. Harker for $20.00, which was the same deal that he gave the Christian Church for lot # 44 and $55.00 less than what he got for the other lots. | ||
1857 | Death of Margaret Roddy Haston: The David Haston family Bible record says that "Marget Haston died the 24 day of February 1857 A.D." This matches the information given in William Carroll Haston's biographical sketch which says that "the parents both died before the war, the mother preceding her husband three or four years." | ||
1860 | Acknowledged Earlier Land Transaction: David Haston "personally appeared before" W.B. Scarbrough (Van Buren County Deputy Clerk) in order to confirm his witness of the September 14, 1837 transaction of land from Sarah ("Sery") Haston and her children to Charles P. Shockley and another transaction to Charles P. Shockley and Wm. Denney. | ||
1860 | Death of David Haston: "Died intestate before 7 May 1860 when Isaac T. Haston was appointed administrator. (Van Buren County. TN, County Court Minutes, 2/399) An inventory and sale
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1860 | Report of David Haston's Estate Sale: "This day Isaac T. Haston administrator of David Haston red [sic] in open court an inventory of and report of sale of the personal property of the said David Haston dcd. which was received and ordered to be recorded." | ||
1862 | David Haston's Estate Settlement: Isaac T. Haston appeared in the Van Buren County court on this date and the settlement of David Haston's (decd) estate was approved and was to be recorded. | ||
1865 | David Haston's Estate Settlement Again in Court: The court clerk read a settlement with Isaac T. Haston, Administrator, regarding the estate of David Haston, which was received, confirmed, and ordered to be recorded. | ||
Sherry Mirkovic was the original contributor (in 2000) for the David Haston timeline but content since that time has been added by Wayne Haston, Great-Great-Great Grandson of David Haston. |
David Haston's Estate Sale - July 2, 1860, Recorded in Court
I.T. Haston admin of David Haston A sale bill of the personal property sold by me as administrator of David Haston Dec. on the 2nd day of June 1860 at the residence of the said David Haston Dec. after advertising as the law directs. |
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M.G. Haston To one lot of ? half bushel |
.80 |
M.G. Haston To Steelyards ? & potrack |
.90 |
” ” ” broad ax & | 8.75 |
” ” ” lot of plows | 5.50 |
W.M. Morgan saddle wallets keg & pan | 1.00 |
D.P. Myres To Sythe 2 mowing blades | 1.00 |
Nancy Carol To Sifter & Shovel | .25 |
W.C. Haston To 3 ovens | 2.30 |
D.C. Morgan To 3 Chairs | 1.00 |
W.M. Morgan To 3 chairs & baskett | 1.85 |
W.C. Haston To one man saddle | 11.00 |
W.C. Haston To Chest & books | 7.60 |
Thomas Shockley To on pare of ? | .75 |
M.G. Haston To one clock | 8.00 |
Edman Seals To pare doginans (?) | 1.15 |
Jacob Gades To one table | 1.00 |
James Sparkman To Tub and barrel | .80 |
Cyrus Haston To 1 Waggon | 20.00 |
Loucinda Trogden To 1 cow & yearling | 21.30 |
Wm. Morgan To 1 cow & calf | 21.60 |
Thomas Shockley To 2 hogs | 7.15 |
” ” ” 1 ? | .50 |
Solomon Seamans To 1 horse | 101.00 |
W.C. Haston To 1 pare chairs & ? | 1.80 _____ |
227.00 | |
The foregoing is a full and perfect account of the sale of all the personal property of the Estate of David Haston De. directed by law to be sold. Notes with good Security due twelve months after date taken from the purchases (except a few.) Thare are also some notes Vis One of myself for $129.00 One note on W.B. Taylor for Balance 9.50 The above notes are good except the one on W.B. Tayler I.T. Haston Subscribed and Sworn to ? Johnson Clerk Red in open court July 2, 1860 approved all ordered to be recorded ? Johnson Source: Pages 317-318, Van Buren County, TN Probate Book A (April 1840-November 1860). Roll # 24, Tennessee State Library and Archives. |
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David Haston’s Transfer of Land to Son Wm. Carroll Haston
David Haston - Passing His Land to the Next Generation
With Links to Other David Haston Stories
David Haston Stories
1854 - Transfer of David Haston's Five Tracts
I, David Haston, of the County of Van Buren and State of Tennessee, have this day bargained and sold and do hereby transfer and convey unto William C. Haston of the County and State aforesaid for the consideration of One Thousand dollars to me paid the receipt is hereby acknowledged for the following described tracts of land as follows, to wit:
First Tract: Beginning on a white oak on a conditional line with Jacob Mitchell, running thence with his line down the spring branch North fifty degrees East fifty poles to a maple then East sixty poles to two hickories; then South one hundred and two poles to two poplars; then Westwardly with a conditional line made by William Denny Jr. and myself to pointers on a conditional of Joseph Haston; then with said line North forty degrees West sixty five poles to the beginning, containing fifty acres. Grant No. 529.
This “first tract” was the 50 acres tract that David Haston purchased from Charles Mitchell on January 16, 1812 for $610. Charles Mitchell had purchased it from its original owner, Isham Bradley.
2nd Tract. Beginning at a white oak marked J.B. the above beginning of first tract; running thence with said line South forty degrees East one hundred and fifty poles to a poplar and hickory; then West one hundred and thirty five poles to a white oak and white hickory; then North twenty degrees East to a stake and pointers sixty poles; then North fifty degrees west forty two poles to a white oak; then North fifty degrees East thirty poles to the beginning, containing fifty acres more or less. Grant No. 550.
This “2nd tract” was the 50 acres tract that David Haston purchased from his brother, Joseph Haston, on February 15, 1809 for $200. The mark “J.B.” on the white oak should actually be “I.B.” for Isham Bradley, whose land (as the original owner) adjoined this tract.
3rd Tract. Beginning on a white oak standing on the big spring branch, running thence South five degrees East, passing through the head of the big spring at eight poles, in all forty two poles to a stake and pointers; then South twenty degrees West sixty poles to two white hickories and white oak; then westwardly to a rock and with a conditional line made by Joseph Haston through the field as the cross fence now runs leaving the fence on my land, on with the fence as it now is on to the old line, on a black oak and double dog wood; then South eighty two degrees east seventy five poles to the beginning, containing fifty acres more or less, deed from J. Brady 1826.
This “3rd tract” was probably 50 acres (Haston Station “home place”) that David Haston inherited from his father, Daniel, at the time Daniel’s death. The metes & bounds “calls” begin exactly like the ones in Daniel Haston’s 1808 land grant # 535.
Daniel’s 150 acres from land grant # 535 was (apparently) divided into three 50 acres tracts–50 acres for Isaac, 50 acres for Joseph, & these 50 acres (Daniel’s “home place”) for David, the eldest son. This description would seem to indicate that David got the eastern part, Joseph the middle part, and Isaac the western part of Daniel’s 150 farm.
The 1826 date would support the strong probability that this was an inheritance from Daniel, who died in that year. Who knows who J. Brady is? Perhaps he was simply the man who registered the deed. It would seem that there is some discrepancy in the latter “calls” of these metes & bounds, since they don’t seem to form a polygon of any sort.
4th Tract. Beginning at a stake, dogwood and hickory pointers on the side of the mountain, running then South seventy seven poles to a black gum; then West one hundred and twenty four poles to a poplar on Shockleys line; then North ninety two poles to a black oak; then East one hundred and twenty four poles to a stake; then South fifteen poles to the beginning, containing 71-1/4 acres, more or less. Grant No. 1787.
This “4th tract” was 71+ acres of vacant land that David purchased for 1 cent per acre on July 27, 1829. This tract was mentioned several times in the court case involving C.T. Haston and Ella Harris.
Daniel’s 150 acres from land grant # 535 was (apparently) divided into three 50 acres tracts–50 acres for Isaac, 50 acres for Joseph, & these 50 acres (Daniel’s “home place”) for David, the eldest son. This description would seem to indicate that David got the eastern part, Joseph the middle part, and Isaac the western part of Daniel’s 150 farm.
The 1826 date would support the strong probability that this was an inheritance from Daniel, who died in that year. Who knows who J. Brady is? Perhaps he was simply the man who registered the deed. It would seem that there is some discrepancy in the latter “calls” of these metes & bounds, since they don’t seem to form a polygon of any sort.
5th Tract. Beginning at a hickory and dogwood, running then West thirty eight poles to a poplar; then South eighty one poles to a black oak and dog wood pointer; then East one hundred and thirty four poles to a rock; then North crossing a Spring branch in all seventy four poles to two dog woods; then North eighty four degrees West seventy six poles to a large Spanish oak; then North thirty seven degrees West forty seven poles to a stake, yellow wood and dog wood pointers; then South thirty three poles to the beginning, containing seventy acres more or less. Grant No. 3319.
This “5th tract” was perhaps* the “100 acres” of vacant land (excluding the improvement whereon Robert Kimbrel formerly lived) that David purchased for 1 cent per acre on February 5, 1827. The assignee of this land was Isaac Dodson. Does that mean that Isaac Dodson had owned the land but vacated it, making it available for the TN State General Assembly price of 1 cent per acre?
Apparently, the “Robert Kimbrel” improvement exclusion amounted to about 30 acres, giving David 70 acres of the 100 acre tract.
*Note: The Grant No. 3319, does not match the # 1278 or # 911 on the February 5, 1827 transaction, so we can’t say for sure that this was that tract. However, tracts generally had severally descriptive numbers–grant number, certificate number, deed number, etc.
This tract was mentioned several times in the court case involving C.T. Haston and Ella Harris.
To have and to hold the afore said tracts of land to the said William C. Haston, his heirs and assigns for ever. I do covenant and agree to and with the said William C. Haston that I am lawfully seized of said tracts of land, have a good right to convey the same and that the same is unincumered [sic]. I do further bind myself my heirs and representatives to warrant and for ever defend the title to said lands and every part thereof to the said William C. Haston his heirs and assigns against myself my heirs and all persons claiming the same, except the fifth tract of land mentioned in this deed, I only warrant the title of it against my self and no further.
This 27th day of January, 1854
Witness: David Haston. (Seal)
W.B. Cummings.
Jesse Whitmore
Source: Exhibit No. 1 (pages 157-159 or 140-142; two sets of hand printed page numbers) from the Van Haston deposition in a court case (C.T. Haston, et. al. vs Ella Harris, et. al) that began in a Chancery Court in Van Buren County, TN and was eventually settled in the TN State Supreme Court in Nashville, TN. The first page of the document bears the numbers 21989-90 and MT 1602. This document (more than 300 pages) is available from the TN State Library and Archives. (This “Exhibit No. 1” entry begins with: “Oct. 20th, 1903, files, as follows:”)
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David Haston’s Spencer Town Lots
David Haston - First Owner of Spencer, TN Town Lot #44
And Six More
Van Buren County, Tennessee was formed early in 1840. During the September 1841 term of the Van Buren County Court, a drawn plan for the town lots of its county seat, Spencer, was presented to the court. The town of Spencer, Tennessee was incorporated in 1846. On January 5, 1848, more than seven years following the division of the town into lots, David Haston purchased seven of these town lots. He resold the lots to various people during the next few years. The transaction of David’s purchases of these lots was not officially recorded until February 10, 1853.
Purchase of Spencer Town Lots, January 5, 1848
We Uriah York John Gillentine John Pain Daniel Walling & John Stewart Commissioners of the town of Spencer have this day bargained and sold and do hereby transfer and convey to David Haston and his heirs forever for the consideration of fourteen dollars seven certain lots in the town of Spencer Van Buren County Tennessee known and distinguished in the plan of said town as lots No. forty one, forty four, forty five, forty six, forty eight forty nine & fifty to have and to hold the said lots to the said David Haston his heirs and assigns forever we do covenant and agree with the said Haston that we are lawfully seized of said lots have a good right to convey them and that the same is un-incumbered we do further covenant and bind ourselves and our successors in office to warrant and forever defend the title to said lots to said David Haston against any claim to be made by ourselves or any person claiming through or under us but no further this the 5 day January 1848
Uriah York (seal)
John Gillentine (seal)
John Stewart (seal)
Tes N.F. Trogdon Seth Wright
State of Tennessee
Van Buren County
Personally appeared before me Arthur L Parker clerk of Van Buren County Court N.F. Trogdon and Seth Wright both subscribing witnesses to the within deed and after being duly sworn according to law say they both saw the commissioners assign the same for the purposes therein contained on the day it bears date witness Arthur L Parker Clerk of Van Buren County court at office the 10th day of February 1853 AL Parker Clerk By R.J. Head d.c. [deputy clerk]
Docketed in Book No. 1 page 47
Source: Pages 222-223 of Van Buren County, Tennessee Deed Book B, TSLA microfilm roll #26.
Disposal of David Haston's Town Lots
Note: David’s purchase of these lots was not officially recorded by the County Court Clerk until February 10, 1853. By that time, David had already sold four of them.
1849
September 27
Lot # 41
David sold Lot # 41 to William Shockly for $75.00. John Gillentine and Witson Griffon were witnesses. The transaction was recorded by County Court Clerk Arthur L. Parker on August 2, 1852. Note: This transaction was recorded prior to the recording of the transaction in which David purchased the seven lots.
Source: Page 223 of Van Buren County, Tennessee Deed Book B, TSLA microfilm roll #26.
1852
April 5
Lot # 48, # 49, & # 50
David sold these lots to Joel Dunlap for $265. W.B. Cummings and Harmon York were witnesses. The transaction was recorded by County Court Clerk Arthur L. Parker on October 14, 1853.
Source: Page 255 of Van Buren County, Tennessee Deed Book B, TSLA microfilm roll #26.
1853
February 5
Lot # 44
David sold this lot to “Aron Seitz and W.B. Huddleston Bishops of the Christian Church at Spencer Van Buren County Tennessee and their successors in office for the use of the said church forever for the consideration of twenty dollars [$20.00]…” Willie Steakly and Wm Lewis were witnesses. The transaction was recorded by County Court Clerk Arthur L. Parker on September 30, 1853.
Source: Page 269 of Van Buren County, Tennessee Deed Book B, TSLA microfilm roll #26.
Notes: Some Haston researchers have assumed, from this transaction, that David Haston was a member of the Spencer Christian Church at this time. While this assumption may or may not be true, there is no indication in this court record that this was anything other than a normal real estate deal (other than the fact that he gave the church a bargain price for the lot).
The incorporation document for the Spencer Church of Christ (originally, the Christian Church at Spencer) mentions this “Lot No. 44.” It appears to have been the only lot owned by the church on June 4, 1859. W.B. Haston was one of the men who signed the incorporation papers for the church (but only as a witness). The incorporation for the Spencer Church of Christ occurred less than a year prior to the death of David Haston. David Haston’s name does not appear in the incorporation document.
Source: Page 562 of Van Buren County, Tennessee County Court Book B, August 1, 1859.
We know that David Haston was the first church clerk for the Union Cumberland Presbyterian Church (now known as “Old Union”) just across (north of) the Caney Fork River from his house. According to a handwritten (by Charles Thomas Haston, grandson of David Haston) account of the history of the Union Cumberland Presbyterian Church, David Haston was the church clerk when the church was founded in 1810 or 1811. Did David Haston change his church affiliation at some point? If so, when and under what circumstances?
1854
July 5
Lot # 46
David sold this lot to F.E. Harker for $20.00. James W. Haston and John Stuart were witnesses. The transaction was recorded by County Court Clerk Arthur L. Parker on July 26, 1854.
Source: Page 283 of Van Buren County, Tennessee Deed Book B, TSLA microfilm roll #26.
What Happened to Lot # 45?
To this point, we have not been able to locate any record of a transaction in which David Haston sold Lot # 45. It does appear that the Spencer Church of Christ now occupies this lot, as well as Lot # 44.
Did David Haston give or sell Lot # 45 to the church? When the church was incorporated on June 4, 1859, only Lot # 44 was mentioned in the incorporation papers. That was less than one year prior to David Haston’s death and some five years or more after he had sold the other six lots. Thus, if David transferred the lot to the church, it would have been just prior to his death.
The word “Church” has been written to span lots # 44 & # 45 on the town plan drawing that appears in Deed Book B. However, the same word in the same handwriting has been scribbled on page 269 of Van Buren County, TN Deed Book B, beside the record of the purchase of Lot # 44. It would appear that someone wrote the word “Church” in these two locations subsequent to the time of the original town plan and Deed Book entry for Lot # 44.
If you have information related to this town lot, please contact me.
Note: There is a good presentation of the early development of Spencer, Tennessee in Chapter VII (pages 77-84) of The History of Van Buren County, Tennessee: The Early Canebreakers, 1840-1940 by Landon Daryle Medley (1984). The author presents a brief record of the early transactions for each of Spencer’s original town lots.
Incorporation of the Church of Christ
The Church of Christ at Spencer, Tennessee met according to the previous appointment, on Saturday the 21st, of May 1859 for the purpose of availing themselves of the benefit of Article 3 Chapter 2 and Title 9 of the Code of Tennessee and for purposes selected the following Corporate name The Church of Christ at Spencer Tenn. Said Corporation shall continue in full force for 50 years from the date here on. The following persons were elected Trustees: Aaron Seitz, John Gillentine, John L. Forsythe, W.B. Huddleston, W. Layman, John M. Billingsley, J.W. Gillentine, F.Y. Hamilton and L.M. Langford who are to hold their office for five years or until their successors are named. The Trustees shall have the power to enact such by-laws as may be necessary, not conflicting with the laws of the State of Tennessee. The object of this corporation is to preserve a certain lot know as Lot No. 44, in the plans of Spencer and the Church House thereon. This June 4, 1859.
Signed:
W.B. Haston [Wiley B. Haston, son of David]
R.J. Head
John Gillentine
Aaron Seitz
John M. Billingsley
F.Y. Huddleston
L.M. Hamilton
G.B. Johnson
(Clerk of Court)
Source: Page 562 of Book B in the Register’s Office of Van Buren County, TN; August 1, 1859.
————————————————————————————————————
Note: W.B. Haston & J. Head witnessed the deed.
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Major General Terry “Max” Haston – Part 1
The Boyhood Beginnings of an Army Major General
Ancestral Line Back to Henry Hiestand, Immigrant Ancestor
I strongly encourage you to view the obituaries of Max’s parents and be sure to watch the videos presented at their funerals. They say so much about his parents and their very positive impact on his life.
Some Highlights of Max's Boyhood Years
Max and a friend found several thousand dollars in a brown paper bag in a fence row, turned it in to authorities. The owner, an elderly gentleman from Texas, was found. This resulted in a visit to the state legislature, where he was named a ‘Sergeant at Arms’ and presented with a proclamation, followed by photos in the Governor’s Office.
Max grew up watching his Dad pack for drill weekends and summer camp. He has vivid memories of his Dad being called up for civil unrest. He played “Army” from a young age and probably became a Boy Scout because he loved uniforms at an early age!
As the son of an enlisted Dad, Max was always a “soldier’s soldier,” preferring to train and be in the field. He was known for his phrases, many learned from his Dad, that became known as “Maxisms.” When he commanded the 3/278th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Cookeville, a Book of Maxisms was printed.
Where is Max? Can you pick Max out from this team photo?
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Caney Fork of the Cumberland – Book
A River of Importance to the Early Daniel Haston Family
Balsam Range performing ‘Caney Fork River‘ in Studio B on September 25, 2015
If you like good blue grass music, I highly recommend this 3:45 minute video.
Fords Above Great Falls on Caney Fork & Tributaries | 23-25 |
Fords Below Great Falls on Caney Fork | 21 |
Gas, Natural – In the Area | 52 |
Girl Scout Camp | 81 |
Good Old Days, The – (Electric System Maintenance) | 66 |
Great Falls Power Plant | 53-62 |
Great Falls Power Company | 53 |
Grissom, Sam – Storekeeper & Philosopher | 78 |
Hash Family – Land Grants, Deeds & Family Notes | 79 |
Haunted Falls, The – (A Song) | 84-85 |
Hi-Lake Camp | 81 |
Hydro Electric Power Plants | 53 |
Indian Trails & Paths | 3 |
Indian Trails & Paths – Map | 4 |
Iron Forges | 44,46 |
Land Grants – | |
Log Rafts on The Caney Fork | 20 |
Map – Ancient Roads & Trails | 4 |
Maple on the Hill – A Song | 83 |
McGiboney, Recollections of James | 77-78 |
McMinnville Hydro Electric Plant | 63 |
Men Who Built The Great Falls Plant | 56-62 |
Mills, Old – On The Caney Fork & Upper Tributaries | 38-40 |
Navigation on the Caney Fork River | 19 |
Ode To The Caney Fork by Hudson | 2 |
Oil & Gas In The Caney Fork Basin | 52 |
Old Kentucky Road | 68-69 |
Old Songs | 83-85 |
Officer, John – Fishing Guide | 82-82A |
Pearls From The Caney Fork River | 22 |
People & Places (Listed Alphabetically) | 70-75 |
Postscript | 85 |
Powder Mills | 51 |
Recreation & Camping On The Caney Fork River | 80-82 |
References – | |
Roads And Trails, Ancient Map of | 4 |
Roads And Trails, Locating Old | 67 |
Roads In The Rock Island Area | 68 |
Rock Island, The Battle of | 7-8 |
Rock Island State Park | 81 |
56 | |
Shawver, G.B. (Bun) – His Work in McMinnville | 63,66 |
Songs, Old | 83-85 |
Sparta Light & Power Company | 63 |
Stage Coach Lines In The Rock Island Area | 67 |
Steam Boats on the Caney Fork | 20 |
Stone Fort, Old – At Rock Island | 69 |
Tennessee Electric Power Company | 63 |
Walling Light & Power Company | 63 |
Webb Hotel | 80 |
Webb School Camp | 81-82 |
Word From The Writer, A | 1 |
Yankee Army Biscuit, Natives Eat | 78 |
Y.M.C.A. Camp | 82 |
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The Haston Homeland
Three Counties in Middle Tennessee - The Haston Homeland
People often ask me a question like this, “My Haston great-grandfather came from White (or Warren, or Van Buren) County, TN, are we related?”
My immediate response, without asking any questions:
“Yes, definitely.”
In fact, the odds are very good if you have “Haston” in your ancestry, regardless of where you live in the United States, that you are* a descendant of Daniel Haston who settled in what was then White County, TN in about 1804. It’s a BIG FAMILY, with cousins in almost all or all USA states.
*There are a few Haston families in the United States who do not descend from Daniel Haston, but their earliest American family roots were not planted in Middle TN soil.
Many of our Daniel Haston cousins, with Haston Homeland roots, spell their names Hastin, Hasting, Hastings, Hastain, etc.
Bull's Eye of the Haston Homeland
Where Daniel Settled in c. 1804 and Lived Until His 1826 Death
If you have any questions about whether or not you are a descendant of Daniel Haston, contact us and we’ll try to help you with that.
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July 26-27, 2024 All-Hastons Family Reunion
Bringing Together Haston Kinfolk from All Over the USA
In July 2022 the first-ever Daniel Haston All-USA Family Reunion was held in the “Haston Homeland” (Southern White County, TN). Approximately 150 attended from 17 states! The most common response we heard from 2022 participants was – “When are you going to do this again?” And many who did not attend in 2022 (for various reasons) have added to that, “We won’t miss it this time!” Well, we’ve heard those voices. But this year we are planning to make it bigger and better, and two days instead of trying to cram it all into one day.
Registration Now Open
The Reunion Schedule
Friday Activities - July 26, 2024
Meet at Hickory Valley Baptist Church and ride an air-conditioned bus to (or by) 12 historic sites connected to our Haston family history. Will stop on this guided tour at FIVE (see green bullet points) of the 12 sites for feet-on-the-ground views of where our ancestors lived, died, and were buried. Will drive by the other (red points) sites that you will have opportunities to visit later.
Sites we will stop and visit:
- Old Union Church and Cemetery
- Big Fork Cemetery and Church Site
- Daniel Haston Home Place
- (Isaac T. Haston) Haston Cemetery
- M.G. Haston Century Farm (1858-Today)
- Van Buren County Historical Museum
No lunch will be served at the church. Will be given a map to and of Sparta with locations of restaurants. About eight miles from the church to Sparta.
Arrangements will be made for the White County Heritage Museum (114 South Main Street) and the White County, TN Archives (3rd floor of Courthouse) to be ready to receive you as visitors.
This is the self-direction part of the Haston Historic Sites Tour. This morning we visited FIVE of the 12 historic sites and drove by all 12 of them. This afternoon, we encourage you to go back to and visit any of these sites of particular interest to you.
At the Hickory Valley Baptist Church (fellowship hall) - 5865 Hickory Valley Road; Sparta, TN 38583.
- Desserts, soft drinks, coffee, etc - bring a dessert or finger food.
- Fun get-acquainted activities
- Informal mix and mingle time
- Some interest centers available
Very important part of the reunion - please don't miss it.
Saturday Activities - July 27, 2024
Pick up your name tag, receive your reunion packet, enjoy breakfast snacks, meet some of your previously unknown relatives, visit some of the interest centers.
Retired Major General Max Haston, former Adjutant General of the State of Tennessee, will lead this opening ceremony.
Wayne Haston will present the story of Daniel Haston, his ancestry, and what is known of his life. Participants will be involved in this activity in a fun way.
Jean Ann Haston Hall will explain why we created the Daniel Haston Family Association, a 501 (c)(7), organization and how you can help us preserve our Haston family history and heritage.
Harris Haston will tell you about the Big Fork Historic Cemetery, Inc., a 501 (c)(3)organization, why the cemetery is truly historic, what we have accomplished since the 2022 Haston Family Reunion, and our plans and needs for future development.
There will several interest centers such as...
- Historic Haston heirlooms
- Old family photos
- Legacy of Honor which honors Hastons and relatives who served our country in the military
- Daniel Haston Family Association - information about the association and how you can participate
- Big Fork Historic Cemetery, Inc. - information about plans for preserving the cemetery and how you can participate
- Book table - where you can purchase Wayne's books and a copy of the Hiestand coat of arms
- Information about local museums, archives, etc.
- Photo "studio" where you can have a professional quality photo taken with your family and friends
The 2023 Hiestand-Haston tour group at the world famous Hiestand Bakery and Bistro in Zürich.
"Back by Popular Demand." Very similar to our 2022 meal, but some extra options for people with various food issues.
We urge you to use this meal time to get to know folks that you haven't known before, rather than to just spend it with the family members and friends that you see often.
A general overview of all of Daniel Haston’s sons and daughters—who they were, what they did, where they lived, with some interesting anecdotes about each of them and their families.
Note: Each participant will receive a blank family tree sheet for participants to take notes.
Prior to this time, submit your question cards about the history of our Haston family. Wayne will pick 30 minutes’ worth of question-answers, especially those of most interest to the entire group. As time permits, he will take other questions as well.
Choose one from these three workshops:
- Basic Family Genealogical Research – How to Start and Tips for Finding Information about Your Family
- DNA Family Research – Presentation about DNA research--how it works and why it is helpful--by a Family DNA Research Expert (Darvin Martin, by Zoom)
- Your Children and Grandchildren – How Can You Get Them Interested in Your Family’s History?
Table groups will compete against each other, with a game show buzzer system to determine who responds first to each question.
Questions covering what has been presented today, including a few BONUS questions from some significant content from the Daniel Haston Family book.
A special prize will be given to each member of the winning table team.
If this year is like the 2022 reunion, we'll have lots of leftovers at the end of the day, food from the lunch meal as well as breakfast goodies. Hang around - mix and mingle some more - reflect on all of the experiences of the day.
Registration Now Open
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Murder of Grace Haston Rittenour
Stabbed 22 Times With a Screwdriver
Aunt Grace was one of my father’s (Boyd Haston’s) sisters. Because she and Uncle Arthur lived in Akron, Ohio and our family remained in Tennessee, I never knew them as well as I wanted. But my memories of her are special–she was a sweet and kind lady, a lovely woman with beautiful auburn colored hair, and a godly woman who love the Lord Jesus. I admired her.
In September 1979, our Tennessee family was shocked to hear that she had been murdered. And the way in which she was killed was almost unimaginable to us. I have always wanted to know more about that violent crime and the murderer who took the life of my Aunt Grace. Here’s the story.
Grace Haston Rittenour was murdered in this house on Sunday evening, September 16, 1979. This photo of the house was taken 32 years later. The canal is located behind the house.
Myrtle was her first name and also the name of her mother. But she was commonly known by her middle name, Grace.
Arkmael Sales, the murderer, was soon captured, and two days after the murder, details about the crime were revealed. Sales was charged with aggravated burglary and aggravated murder.
Her parents, Charles Beason and Myrtle (Wallace) Haston died in 1953. Her older sister, Edna Haston Moss, died in 1976.
Arkmael Sales (right) talks with lawyer, Tim Killian during trial in Summit County (Ohio) Common Pleas Court
Posted December 29, 2021:
I am A.Ray Sales, 80 years young (born June 15, 1941), Black, 5’9”, wgt 164, single, heterosexual. Have my GED and some college. Love to read, fish, work with animals, children. Hope to be released in March 2023 and plan to start a refurbishing business upon release. Recovered lung cancer patient. Has very little family, all lost during my confinement. Never married. Will respond to all regardless of age. NOTE: I can receive ONLY letters via SNAIL MAIL; otherwise I cannot respond.
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EARLY is the Time To Get Children Started in Family History
Help Your Children and Grandchildren Learn to Love Their Family's History
Part 3 – “Five More Tips” will be posted next week. Stay tuned!
For children, genealogy can be just as incredible a way to find meaning and connect with living and deceased family members as it is for adults. Studies have shown that knowing your family history can benefit children in remarkable ways. These benefits include resilience, a sense of security, a strong sense of self-control, and a greater ability to moderate the effects of stress. Whether you are a parent, grandparent, teacher, or friend, you can help the children in your life experience these benefits. –Source
1. Tell them stories from your childhood and later life.
Some of the greatest gifts my parents gave to me are the stories of their growing-up years. Unfortunately, cameras were virtually non-existent in their families at that time. But the few pictures I have of them, their parents, siblings, and friends help make Mom and Dad’s stories real to me. Tell your kids and grandkids about where you lived, what YOUR parents were like, about your schooling, about your friends, about your most fun times, and many other kinds of stories from your early years.
An amazing local historian friend of mine, Gary Bauserman of Page County, VA, died recently. I learned so much about my early Hiestand family from Gary. He was locally famous for his knowledge of Shenandoah Valley, VA history. I once asked him: “Gary, how did you become so interested in history?” He responded, “I learned to love history by sitting on my grandmother’s knee and listening to her stories.”
A few years ago our daughter Celeste gifted us (one for me, one for my wife Sharon) with a subscription to StoryWorth, a website where we can write stories about many of the things they and their kids and their kids, et. al. may want (or need) to know about us for generations to come. Once you’ve written as many stories as you want to write, you can click a button and StoryWorth will print a beautiful book of your stories.
But as great as StoryWorth is, there’s nothing that beats sharing these stories with your kids and grandkids person to person.
2. Show them photos of their ancestors and tell them what you know about them.
Photos are taken for memories’ sake! But unfortunately, many old family photos are stored away in a jumbled mess in some out-of-the-way place and are forgotten. Blessed is the family who has access to a lot of old family photos, knows where they are, organizes them, and reviews them often enough to honor the “old folks” who took the time and spent the money to visually record these memories for future generations.
Most children are fascinated by old family photos, especially if someone takes the time to talk to them about the people in the pictures. Tell your children and/or grandchildren who these people in the photos were and how they were/are related to you and them. Discuss the unique dress and hairstyles. Tell stories about what they did for a living, who they married, their military experiences if they served, and your memories of knowing them if their lives overlapped yours.
3. Show them family heirlooms and talk to them about the history behind those heirlooms.
An heirloom is a valuable object that has belonged to a family for multiple generations. If you are fortunate enough to possess heirlooms from your parents or earlier ancestors, they can be object lessons for teaching kids about family history. First and foremost, teach them to value these heirlooms and preserve them for the ages to come. And use them to connect the young generation in your family to the past–their family’s history. Tell stories behind the heirlooms.
John Calvin Wallace was my paternal grandmother’s father, my Dad’s grandfather. He was a private in the Confederacy during the entire four years of the Civil War, fought in several major battles and lots of minor ones, was captured and became a POW, escaped, returned to his unit, and assisted in attempting to protect Confederate President Jefferson Davis in his post-war flight toward hoped-for safety in the deep South. He was never wounded through all of that!
I was fortunate to inherit the bed that John Calvin Wallace, my Great-grandfather, built (or had built) for himself and his wife, after the war. It’s more than an antique to me–it’s a precious and priceless heirloom. We have placed a small bronze plaque on the footboard to help preserve the “whose was this” story. Also, a designer friend created a beautiful wall plaque that sums up the story of his experiences fighting for what he believed, at that point in history. I’m proud of him for fighting bravely for what he thought was right, even though I don’t agree with some of what he thought was right. We have even designated one of our bedrooms to be a family heritage room, with various historical artifacts and souvenirs to highlight points of interest in our family’s history. Another couple of our favorite heirlooms are (1) a table lamp we inherited from my mother and (2) a very old kitchen table that goes back (at least) to my paternal grandparents.
4. Take them on family history field trips.
As a child, even before I knew that I was interested in my family’s history, I was curious to know about my grandparents and my great-grandparents–where they lived, how they lived, and what they did. It was a natural curiosity that I’m sure most children probably have. My Mom, even in her final years, often talked about the big house her father, George Vergil Davis, grew up in. I was an adult before I realized that the house was still standing – the Davis House in Dog Cove of the Lost Creek Community of White County, TN (see it below). Oh, how I wish we had visited that old house when I was a kid. I suppose the rattlesnakes and copperheads were the reason we didn’t go there, because it was just a few miles from where we lived. Now it’s partially restored and part of a TN State Park and hundreds of people have visited it.
I was fortunate to grow up in the same county (the same part of the county in some of my childhood years) where my Haston roots were planted six generations earlier. My parents didn’t know much about the earliest generations, but they had clear memories of their parents, and grandparents, and even knew lots of stories about their great-grandparents. As we would drive around where our most recent ancestors lived, both on my Dad’s side and Mom’s side, they would point out places where people of significance to or in our family lived. Those became special memories to me and I can still recall them well enough to pass them along to anyone interested in hearing them.
Take your kids or grandkids on a family history field trip or maybe multiple trips, even if it means traveling some distance to do so. It’s an investment in their lives that they will never forget. Make it a part of your family vacation. Take pictures, tell stories, and let them walk on the turf their ancestors walked.
5. Take them to cemeteries where their ancestors and relatives are buried.
Gravestones are also known as “memorial stones” or “monuments” and cemeteries are sometimes called “memorial gardens.” We place tombstones to remember our loved ones who have passed on. Why do we pay “big bucks” to be sure they are virtually indestructible and the engravings are so deeply embedded that people will be able to read them for hundreds of years? Why? Because we want future generations to know who their ancestors were.
As a child, when my parents took me to a graveside service in a cemetery or we were at a cemetery “decoration day” (a once-a-year event for many cemeteries, especially in the south), I would wander through the cemetery looking. Looking for what? Looking for the names of people I knew to be my relatives, especially ancestors. And I wasn’t the only one doing that. My peers did the same thing. I suppose it is a natural curiosity.
Acquaint children with cemeteries where their deceased family members are buried. It’s another opportunity–a particularly sensitive one–to tell stories about their ancestors–aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents of varying degrees of generational distance. Take photos and jot down notes that will help to create their own simple family tree later.
Part 3 – “Five More Tips” will be posted next week. Stay tuned!
6. Plan or take them to family reunions and introduce them to older members of their family.
7. Help them create a simple family tree chart, perhaps a create colorful one they could display in their rooms.
8. Play family history games with them or the entire family.
9. Give them family history mysteries they can solve through online research.
10. Create a working scrapbook of photos, newspaper articles, old letters, etc. of things you discover together.
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How to Get Your Children Interested in Family History
Getting Them Started Early to Appreciate Family History
Part 3 – “Five More Tips” will be posted next week. Stay tuned!
How many times have I heard adults who are interested in their family’s history say, “My kids couldn’t care less about our family’s history”? Well, this concern isn’t new. Nearly 100 years ago, one Mennonite author wrote the following introduction to his book on the history of Lancaster County, PA. But he ends with a somewhat positive note–there is hope that your children and grandchildren may focus their curiosities historically as they move on through life. It may not be too late then, but they will likely have missed many opportunities to glean from family members whose memories and stories have died with them. So, the question is: How can we help children become interested in their family’s history and heritage before they miss those early opportunities to tap the family’s resources that will not be around when they really wish they were?
I encourage you to read the following 1931 paragraphs very thoughtfully. It’s good stuff.
The Childhood Seed of My Interest in Family History
My grandfather owned a copy of the History of White County (TN), written by Rev. Monroe Seals and published in 1935, after his death. White County was where I was born and grew up and where all of my paternal ancestors lived, going all the way back to Daniel Haston. For a long time when I was young, the book was lying on the coffee table in our house. I suppose my mother had borrowed it to read, although I never recall seeing her pick it up or open it. I occasionally picked the book up and browsed through it looking for Haston names. And, to my pleasant surprise, I found some, several in fact! As well as other family facts, I learned from my parents that my Great Grandfather had been a prominent landowner and farmer, as well as a political leader in the county. I had heard about his lay leadership in the Old Union Cumberland Presbyterian Church, but I never realized he was such an important man in our county in other ways. That piqued my interest, so I picked the book up frequently and read parts of it each time. Before long, I was fairly familiar with the history of our county, and some bits and pieces of my family's history. I even discovered that I was a descendant of David Haston, whom I later learned was the son of a man named "Daniel Haston." Those experiences with that book on our coffee table was the seed that eventually developed into a passion to know much more about my family roots. But, that seed was dormant for 40 years or more before it germinated and began to grow into what it was destined to be.
Wayne Haston
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Hastons – A Family of Early Tennessee Pioneers
The Daniel Haston Family - Pioneer Tennessee Settlers
More Than a Decade Before Tennessee Became a State
Daniel Haston was truly an American pioneer in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, East Tennessee, but even more so in what became Middle Tennessee--White County in particular.
Wayne Haston
Daniel Haston and his family were American pioneers, in the truest sense of the word. We can’t begin to imagine how tough it was to be a pioneer in the wild wilderness of western North Carolina (now eastern Tennessee), and later the Cherokee Indian hunting land of the Caney Fork River valley in the decades just before and after 1800.
Daniel’s Hiestand (Henry Hiestand) family was among the earliest European settlers in the Shenandoah Valley of northern Virginia. And, like his father, Daniel was driven by a pioneer spirit. In the early 1780’s, Daniel and his older brother Abraham settled near the town of Jonesborough (the oldest town in Tennessee), when it was still within the western wilderness of North Carolina. After about ten years there in Washington County, Daniel moved his family westward to the outskirts of the little village of Knoxville when there were just a few houses and stores in that pioneer settlement. That was only two or three years after Knoxville was founded. The little town that grew up around General James White’s Fort was a “Dodge City” kind of settlement–with a jail but no church building in its earliest years. Daniel’s family was living “south of the Holston (River), opposite Knoxville” when Tennessee became the 16th state in the USA on June 1, 1796. The Daniel Haston family was truly one of the “first families of Tennessee.”
Join First Families of Tennessee
If you can trace your lineage back to our Daniel Haston who was living in “Tennessee” before it became Tennessee, and prove it with documentation, you qualify to join the First Families of Tennessee.
The Third and Fourth Treaties of Tellico (between the United States and the Cherokee Indians), signed on October 25 and October 27, 1805, ceded to the United States the area between the Cumberland and Duck Rivers in what is now Middle Tennessee. So, prior to that time the territory west of the Cumberland Mountain Range where White and Van Buren Counties of Tennessee are now located belonged to the Cherokee.
Daniel Haston probably heard talk around Knoxville (then the capital of Tennessee) of a near-future treaty with the Cherokee Indians that would cede much of what we know as Middle Tennessee to the United States. Daniel probably thought it wise to make his move to get decent land in the wilderness west of the Cumberland Plateau before greedy land speculators gobbled up all of the prime land. So, even before the October 1805 Treaties of Tellico were signed, Daniel and his family were squatters at the head of the Big Spring Branch of Cane Creek, a few hundred yards before the creek emptied into the Caney Fork River of the trans-Cumberland Plateau wilderness, prime Cherokee, Shawnee, and Chickasaw Indian hunting territory at that time and for centuries earlier.
The yellow (57) section was ceded to the United States by the October 25, 1805 Tellico Treaty.
When the land became available for purchase, Daniel and some of his family and friends who moved with him could make preemption claims, based on occupant rights. These preemption occupant rights rewarded the former squatters for being there to help clear the way for white settlers who soon followed them.
When a petition was circulated in the summer of 1806 to create White County, TN–Daniel’s name was added to that petition, as well as three others in his Big Spring Branch settlement of Haston family members and some of their friends. They were some of the founders of White County, TN. And some of Daniel’s family members were founders of Van Buren County, TN in 1840.
Join First Families of White County
If you can document your genealogical connection to Daniel Haston of White County, TN, you can join the First Families of White County, TN.
Some of Daniel’s children and grandchildren later followed their own pioneering dreams and moved west in pursuit of land, more land, good land, good land-cheap. In many cases, wherever they went many of them were some of the first white settlers–in Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, California, Washington state, and elsewhere.
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Duncan – Gary G.
1940 – 2023
Gary Gene Duncan
Rank and Branch of Military
E-3, United States Marine Corps
Years of Service
1958 – 1962
Locations of Training, Deployment, and Service
Camp Pendleton, & Barstow CA, Okinawa, Japan
Relationship to the Daniel Haston Family
Descended through Isaac Haston/Hastings – Son of Daniel Haston
Other Information About the Service Member's Haston or Haston-Related Ancestry
Isaac Hastings > Hartwell, Greene Hastings > Lucy Christina Hastings > Dorothy, Kathryn Wagner > Robert O. Duncan > Gary Gene Duncan
Person who submitted this information and relationship to the honored veteran:
Robert Owen Duncan, nephew of Gary Gene Duncan
Email address to the person who submitted this information:
Pilotpoper@aol.com
Family Photo Gallery
Add Yourself or Your Haston-Related Relative to the Legacy of Service Honor Gallery
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1923 Status – Counties of Tennessee
100 Years Ago - Status of Middle Tennessee Counties
Politically, Tennessee is divided into three Grand Divisions–East Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, and West Tennessee. The counties of East Tennessee are Anderston, Bledsoe, Blount, Bradley, Campbell, Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Cumberland, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Loudon, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Polk, Rhea, Roane, Scott, Sequatchie, Sevier, Sullivan, Unico, Union, Washington–34.
The counties of Middle Tennessee are Bedford, Cannon, Cheatham, Clay, Coffee, Davidson, DeKalb, Dickson, Fentress, Franklin, Giles, Grundy, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Jackson, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Macon, Marshall, Maury, Montgomery, Moore, Overton, Perry, Pickett, Putnam, Robertson, Rutherford, Smith, Stewart, Sumner, Trousdale, Van Buren, Warren, Wayne, White, Williamson, Wilson–40.
The counties of West Tennessee are Benton, Carroll, Chester, Crockett, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Lake, Lauderdale, Madison, McNairy, Obion, Shelby, Tipton, Weakley–21.
Here is a Sampling of Middle Tennessee Counties of Interest to Haston Descendants
White County
There are a couple of questionable assertions at the top of this article. (1) The May 1, 1806 petition to create White County was initiated by citizens of Jackson County, TN, which had been formed on November 6, 1801, out of Smith County. (2) There are reasons to believe that White County, TN was not named to honor John White.
Van Buren County
Someone, prior to 1840, from what is now the Spencer, TN area apparently created the oral tradition that the early longhunter Thomas “Big Foot” Sharp was killed by Indians on a hill where the town of Spencer was established. There is no reliable evidence to support that claim. But unfortunately, the tale has circulated widely, perhaps because some folks from Van Buren County have wanted to believe it and have not seriously studied the evidence. There is much better historical evidence to support the opinion that he was ambushed and killed by Indians near Crab Orchard, TN in what is now Cumberland County. In 1856 a bill was presented to the Tennessee General Assembly to change the name of the town of Spencer to Carnsville, but it was tabled and never acted upon.
Warren County
Bledsoe County
Sequatchie County
Putnam County
Cumberland County
DeKalb County
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3 – David Haston & Family in White County, TN
230-Plus Events in the Life of David Haston, Phase 3
Links will be activated one per week – Van Buren County Years will be activated soon.
David Haston and Family in White County, Tennessee | |||
1806 | Move to White County, TN: David moved to White County, to join his father Daniel, his brother Joseph, his sisters Catherine [later, Austin] and Lucinda (Mitchell), and perhaps other family members, sometime between November 11, 1806, and February 10, 1808. He had already sold his land, so he may have left Knox County in November after he served as auctioneer for the Jacob Neff estate settlement. This timing is in harmony with a return trip from White County to the Knox County area that his brother, Joseph, may have made. Perhaps Joseph led David to the new Haston home place in White County. Daniel's wife (who was David's mother or stepmother) may have remained in Knox County until this time. | ||
1808 | Road Work Appointment in White County, TN: David was one of the men "...appointed to lay off and mark a road the nearest and best way from where the Chickamogga trace [ancient trail] crosses the White County line on Cumberland Mountain the nearest and best way that leads to Warren County line." This is the first known record of David in White County. Joseph Smith, Isaac Midcalf, David Haston, William Brown, Joseph Cummings, and Joseph H. Creely comprised this road crew. These men all lived in the same general area, along the Caney Fork River. Note: Joseph Haston married Sarah Creely. | ||
1808 | David and Isham Bradley Chain Carriers: David and Isham were chain carriers for Jacob Mitchell's survey of 50 acres on the big spring branch of Cane Creek on May 14, 1808 and for Joseph Haston's survey of 50 acres on June 18, 1808. | ||
1808 | Fourth Child (Daniel MC.) Born:* Daniel Mc Haston married (1) Annie Green in 1827 (daughter of John & Rachel Mackey Green; John Green was an elder of the Big Fork Baptist Church)** and (2) Martha Jane Wade on June 10, 1839. A published biographical sketch*** of his son, J.P. Hastain, says that "In 1834 the family (i.e. Daniel MC's family) removed to Missouri, and first located in Henry County, being among the pioneer settlers there." A similar biographical sketch*** for another son of Daniel Mc. Hastain, P.D. (Pleasant Dawson) Hastain, also states that "Daniel M. Hastain was reared in Tennessee, but came to Missouri in 1834, locating in Henry County. He...became one of the large landowners of that section." This Daniel Hastain died on June 17, 1875 (or 1874 as per the P.D. Haston bio sketch) in Henry County, MO. In Missouri, the spelling of Haston was changed to Hastain. Daniel MC Hasting appeared on the 1832 White County, TN tax list, apparently living near his father-in-law (John Green) in the Lost Creek area of upper Hickory Valley. He owned 50 aces. His name was clearly written as "Daniel MC." He also appeared on the 1833 & 1834 tax lists for the same area. Move to Henry County, MO Rev. Henry Avery was the first white permanent settler in the area that became Henry County, MO. He married Elizabeth Green, daughter of John Green (Greene) of White County, TN. John Green was a minister of the Big Fork Baptist Church for many years. This means that Rev. Henry Avery and Daniel M.C. Haston (who later changed surname spelling to Hastain) married sisters, daughters of John Green. Shortly after Henry Avery settled in Henry County, MO, Daniel M.C. Haston apparently joined him. William M. Doyle (son of James H. Doyle who lived very near the Big Fork Baptist Church) also went to Henry County, MO with the Avery family. Rev. Henry Avery was a pioneer hero and cherished Baptist minister in early Henry County, MO. Source: Pages 492-496 of The History of Henry and St. Clair Counties, Missouri (St. Joseph, MO: National Historical Company, 1883). There are numerous other references to Rev. Henry Avery in this book.
When Daniel MC Haston's father-in-law, John Green, died in the early 1850s, it appears that Daniel MC Haston traveled from Henri [Henry] County, MO (where he then lived) back to White County, TN to claim the inheritance for various heirs of John Green. These heirs were scattered in Missouri, California, & the Oregon Territory. These heirs were probably his (David MC Haston's) children. | ||
1809 | Grand Jury Duty: David was a member of "the Grand Jury empannelled and sworn for the County of White." Isham Bradley (bondsman for David's marriage in Knox County) was also a member of this jury. | ||
1809 | Witnessed Isham Bradley Land Transaction: David Hastin, Joseph Hastin, Jacob Mitchell, and John Miller were witnesses for a sale of 50 acres that Isham Bradley made to Charles Mitchell for $400. The land was on the Big Spring Branch. Isham Bradley earlier acquired the land from the state of TN through Grant # 529. | ||
1809 | David Purchased Land in White County, TN: David purchased 50 acres of land from his brother Joseph for $200, on the same day that they both witnessed the Isham Bradley to Charles Mitchell deal (see above). Joseph had acquired this land through TN land grant # 550. The land adjoined property owned by Isham Bradley, Jacob Mitchell, and Daniel, his father. Isham Bradley, Charles Mitchell, and John Miller witnessed the transaction. | ||
1809 | Jury Duty: David's name appears four times in this day's court minutes, related to various court cases for which he served as a juryman. | ||
1809 | Joseph to David Land Purchase "Proven" in Court: The 50-acre purchase of land that David made from his brother, Joseph, was "proven in court by the oaths of Isham Bradley and Charles Mitchell and admitted to record." It was registered at this time, although the deed was recorded on February 15 of the same year (see above). | ||
1809 | David "Proves" Isham Bradley's Sale of Land to Charles Mitchell: Earlier in this same year, on February 15, David and Jacob Mitchell had witnessed a sale of land from Isham Bradley to Charles Mitchell. As per the November 14 court record, "...this day [the transaction was] proven in open court by the oaths of David Haston and Jacob Mitchell and ordered to be recorded." It was then officially registered. | ||
1809 | Summoned to Jury Duty for February 1810 Session: David was summoned as one of the "persons to attend at the Court house in said County [of White] on the second Monday in February next to serve as Juror." Among the others summoned were Robert Gamble and John Scoggins (two of the first elders of Union Presbyterian Church), Hercules Ogles, Stephen Crain, Isaac Pruett, Andrew McBride, Christopher Steakley, and Isaac Brown. These men probably lived near the Hastons. | ||
1810 | Jury Duty: As per the earlier summons (November 17, 1809), David reported for jury duty in this February 1810 County Court session but there is no evidence that he was actually impanelled as a juryman from among the larger group summoned. | ||
1810 | Road Work Assignment: It was "Ordered by Court that Joseph Smith, Esqr. David Haston, William Preuitt, Henry Holt, and Jacob Mitchell be appointed to review and straighten the present road leading from Bledsoe County to Warren County to commence at a point near David Haston's field and to intersect the present road East of Joseph Smith's at the most convenient place and make report thereof to the next Court, and the same is ordered accordingly." So, we know that this Bledsoe County to Warren County road ran by David Haston's field. | ||
1810 | Road Assignment Report: "Present to an order of this Court at February term 1810 for reviewing and straightening the road leading from David Haston's to intersect the road East of Joseph Smith, the reviewers for that purpose appointed this day exhibited their report which was received and established. It is, therefore by the Court ordered that the Overseer of the old road, do open and keep in repair the road as marked by the reviewers aforesaid and that the usual hands to ____ the same, and it is ordered accordingly &/c. | ||
1810 | Summoned to September 1810 Circuit Court Jury Duty: David was "named to attend as Jurors at the Honorable the Circuit Court for to be holden in the County of White at the Court house in Sparta on the first Monday in September next." In addition to David, some of the others summoned were John Bryan, William Burden, John White, Nicholas Gillentine, Isaac Medcalf, and Joseph Smith. | ||
1810 | Road Work Appointment: It was "Ordered by the Court that Jacob Stipe, David Haston, Jacob Mitchell, William Brown, Christopher Steakley, Spencer Mitchell, and Nicholas Gillentine be appointed to review lay off and Mark a road the nearest and best way from David McDaniels passing by John Whites so as to intersect a road leading by Joseph Smiths, East of where he lives and the same is ordered accordingly." | ||
1810 | Road Work Report: On November 13, 1810, it was "Ordered by Court that the road reviewed and marked from David McDaniels passing by John Whites so as to entersect a road leading by Joseph Smith's East of his residence be established and the same is ordered accordingly. David's name doesn't appear in the abstract for this entry, but he was part of this road crew as assigned on May 19 of the same year. | ||
1810 or 1811 | David Was a Church Clerk: "The Cumberland Presbyterian congregation met in Old Union Church which was organized about 1811 by Rev. William Barnett. Spence Mitchell, Robert Gamble, and Jesse Scoggins were the first elders, and David Haston was the first clerk." (See the locations on the map below of Old Union and David Haston's home place.)
Note 2: It is interesting that the Big Fork Baptist Church existed at this time and was much closer to the Haston family (and did not require crossing the Caney Fork River) than the Presbyterian church that was located north of the Caney Fork River on land owned by Spencer Mitchell. There is evidence that some members of Daniel Haston's family were affiliated with Baptist churches back in Virginia as well as in East Tennessee. Did David Haston, and perhaps other family members, align with Presbyterians while they were in Knox County? The Presbyterians were definitely the majority denomination at that time in Knox County. | ||
1811 | The First White County, TN Census (List of Taxable Inhabitants): David Hastin and Joseph Hastin appeared in the list for Captain Isaac Pruett's* Company of Militia as taken and returned by Joseph Smith, Esq. on January 1, 1812. Daniel's name does not appear on this list. Daniel was too old to be considered a "taxable inhabitant" on the militia census. One transcribed source (Pioneers of White Co, TN by W.J.H. Phillips; TN 976.89 White PHI) says that these names are David Harton and Joseph Hastin, but the original document clearly reads "David Hastin" and "Joseph Hastin." | ||
1811 | White County, TN Tax List: David Hastin appeared on this list of taxable property and polls, in the bounds of Captain Isaac Pruett's militia company. He owned 50 acres "by grant" on Caney Fork. His total tax bill for the year was .75, which included .18 3/4 for "State Tax" and 56 1/4 for "County Tax." He was charged for one "white poll," but was not charged for any "black polls" (owned no slaves), nor "steed horses," nor "retail stores," nor "town lots." Note: From the White County, TN tax lists we learn that none of the early White County Hastons (Daniel, David, Joseph, & Isaac) ever owned slaves, although their neighbors sometimes did. | ||
1811 | Appointed to Appraise Property Values: It was "Ordered by Court that the following persons be appointed to value property To wit: ...David Haston, Thomas Meek and John Ogle in the bounds of Capt Joseph Smith's Company." | ||
1811 | Fifth Child (Isham Bradley) Born:* Isham Bradley Haston (later changed to Hastain) married He died February 16, 1867, in Hickory County, MO. In 1850 he was living in the same district of Hickory County, MO where his namesake, Isham Bradley, lived in the early 1840s. | ||
1811 | Paid for One Day of Jury Duty: It was ordered by the Court that David Haston (among others for various amounts of jury duty) should be paid for a 1d (one day) juror ticket. It appears that payment for one day of jury duty was worth about 85 cents. | ||
1812 | David Witnessed a Sale of Land: David Haston, Woodson P. White*, and William Glenn witnessed a sale of 100 acres of Grant # 3496 by Nathan Woods to Margaret Boyed (spelling?). | ||
1812 | David Purchased More Land: David purchased 50 acres from Charles Mitchell for $610. This was the same tract of land (TN Grant # 529) that Isham Bradley had sold to Mitchell (for $400) on September 26, 1808. David Haston was a witness to the Bradley to Mitchell deal (see above). It was located in the 3rd District on Big Springs Branch. | ||
1812 | Appointed Road Crew Overseer: It was "Ordered by Court that David Hastin be appointed overseer of the road leading from Sequache to McMinnville, from the top of the Mountain near Cranes, to the house of a Joseph Smith, and that Nicholas Gillentine Esqr. furnish a list of hands to work there on, and that he keeps the same in repair as the law required. -Issd. Feby.18th, 1812." | ||
1812 | Summoned to Jury Duty at Next Court Session: David Hastin and some of his neighbors, John White, John Scoggins, Jnr., and Isaac Brown, were "appointed as Jurors to attend the Next term of this Court." | ||
1812 | Appointed to Road Work Crew: It was "Ordered by Court that Thomas Bronson be appointed overseer of the road from Robert Gamble to Joseph Smith and that he keep the same in repair agreeable to law and that Nicholas Gillentine and Joseph Smith Esqr. be appointed to apportion the hands, amongst said Thomas Bronson, David Hastin, and John Hill, so as to keep in order their respective roads, and it is ordered accordingly." | ||
1812 | Purchased 50 Acres: On this day Charles Mitchell conveyed 50 acres of land to David Hastin. The conveyance "Was this day proven in open Court by the oaths of Nicholas Gillentine and Nathan Woods." This was probably the same tract of land that Isham Bradley sold to Charles Mitchell in 1809. | ||
1812 | Authorized to Purchase Road Work Tools: It was "Ordered by Court David Hastin, John Hill, and Peter Carter Overseer of the road leading from Sequache Valley to the Warren County line, be authorised [sic] to procure one Sledge Hammer, one crow bar, and one set of blowing tools, for the purpose of removing the rocks out of said road..." | ||
1812 | David Witnessed Another Land Transaction: Joseph Cummings, David Haston, and Nathan Woods witnessed a sale of 50 acres land by John Smallman (Smallwood?) to Nicholas Gillentine. It was located in the 1st District, 1st Range, and 10th Section on the south side of Caney Fork in Beech Cove. On the 9th day of this same month, David "proved" this deed by oath in open court. | ||
1812 | White County, TN Tax List: Daniel Hastin, David Hastin, and Joseph Hastin appeared on this "taxable property and polls" list in the bounds of Captain Isaac Pruett's Company of Militia. The listing was taken by Joseph Smith, Esq. David's total tax was .50 (.25 for state tax and for county tax). It seems that the county tax rate dropped from the previous year, despite having doubled the size of his farm. His land holdings had increased to 100 acres, from 50 acres. Again, he was charged for one white poll. | ||
1813 | Signed Two Contradictory Petitions: David Haston signed a petition from Peter Hoodenpile to the TN General Assembly to be permitted to create a toll turnpike from Bledsoe County into White, Warren, and other counties of TN.
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1813 | Sixth Child (Thomas C.) Born:* Information on Thomas C. Haston was discovered in the late 1990s. He married Margaret __?__ and left Tennessee for Missouri after the 1850 census. After Margaret died he remarried in Butler County, MO in 1852. He died in 1853. His two older sons moved to St. Francois County, MO. The two youngest children went to unrelated families in Arkansas. We do not know what happened to the two middle children.** | ||
1813 | White County, TN Tax List: Daniel Hastin, David Hastin, and Joseph Hastin appeared on this "taxable property and polls" list in the bounds of Captain Isaac Pruett's Company of Militia. The listing was taken by Nicholas Gillentine, Esq. David's total tax was 1.00. Three additional taxes (county purposes tax, court house tax, & poor tax) were added this year. He still had 100 acres, listed as being on Big Spring. Again, he was only charged for one white poll. | ||
1814 | War of 1812 Substitute: David chose not to go to war in the War of 1812. He was 37 years old and had six children to feed by 1814. Instead, he paid William Jones to go in his place. That was a perfectly honorable and legal thing to do at the time. William Jones enlisted in November of 1812. The record reads: Another record shows he was paid 8 dollars per month (48 dollars total). A William Jones witnessed David Haston's sale of 111 acres in Knox County, TN in 1806. Was this the same man? Source: War of 1812 Records for William Jones (available for a fee from Genealogy Quest) | ||
1814 | White County, TN Tax List: Daniel Hastin, David Hastin, and Joseph Hastin appeared on this "taxable property and polls" list in the bounds of Captain Isaac Pruett's Company of Militia. The listing was taken by Nicholas Gillentine, Esq. David's total tax was .56 1/4. The three additional taxes (county purposes tax, court house tax, & poor tax) that were added in the previous year no longer existed. He still had 100 acres, listed as being on Big Spring. Again, he was charged only for one white poll. | ||
1815 | Seventh Child (David Machlin/Macklin Haston) Born:* David Mc. Haston married Parmeely Creely and died before 1900. This son of David, Sr. and Peggy Haston was commonly referred to as David MC (or Mc.) Haston. For example, "David M.C. Haston" appears on the 1836 White County, TN tax list in District 15, where his father lived. He owned no land and this was the first appearance of his name on the tax list, that I have found. In 1836, he would have become 21 years old. He appears frequently in the early Van Buren County court minutes until July 1851. His daughter's obituary (see below) says she "came to Missouri with her parents in 1853" and they settled and resided in Hickory County, MO for about six years before moving to St. Francois County, MO, and settling near the county seat, Farmington, MO. Farmington was about 75 miles southwest of St. Louis and in the "Lead Belt" region in Missouri.
The MC in his name may have given him in honor of William Machlin IV, the first Secretary of State and Adjutant-General for Tennessee whom his father may have known in Knoxville, or David Wilson McLin, a popular Cumberland Presbyterian minister who was probably an acquaintance of David Haston, Sr. | ||
1815 | White County, TN Tax List: Daniel Hastin, David Hastin, Joseph Hastin, and Isaac Hastin appeared on this "taxable property and polls" list in the bounds of Captain William Denny's Company. The listing was taken by N. Gillentine, Esq. David's total tax was .62 1/2. The poor tax returned this year. He still had 100 acres, listed as being on Big Spring. Again, he was charged for one white poll. | ||
1816 | White County, TN Tax List: Daniel Hastin, David Hastin, Joseph Hastin, and Isaac Hastin appeared on this "taxable property and polls" list in the bounds of Captain William Denny's Company of Militia. The listing was taken by Nicholas Gillentine, Esq. David's total tax was .62 1/2. David still owned the 100 acres on Big Spring. Again, he was charged for one white poll. | ||
1817 | Eighth Child (Loucinda L.) Born:* Loucinda L. Haston was either married to an unknown Mr. Moore or had an illegitimate child (Edward Cyrus Moore Haston) by him. This child was reared by David and Peggy Haston when she married Abraham Greenville Trogden, Sr. (born 1805 in Ohio; died before December 4, 1854) in Van Buren County, TN, soon after the death of Mr. Trogden's first wife, Mary K. Hinds. Mary K. Hinds Trogden died in 1849, leaving Abraham (Sr.) with a large family and an infant child, Abraham Greenville Trogden (Jr.) who was born on August 4, 1849. Loucinda died on December 2, 1902 in Maxwell, (of Franklin County), TN. In the 1900 Warren County, TN census, Loucinda stated that she was the mother of one child born, and no children living. Lynn Schiller was a major source for this information. See Howard H. Hasting, Sr.'s material for more information on this daughter of David and Peggy Haston. | ||
1817 | White County, TN Tax List: Daniel Hasting, David Hasting, Joseph Hasting, and Isaac Hasting appeared on this "taxable property and polls" list in Captain Jesse Scoggon's Company of Militia. The listing was taken by William Denny, Esq. David's total tax was 1.34. A bridge tax was assessed this year. He still owned the 100 acres, now being listed as on the Caney Fork. Again, he was charged for one white poll. | ||
1818 | White County, TN Tax List: David Haston, Joseph Haston, and Isaac Haston appeared on this "taxable property and polls" list in Captain Scoggon's Company. The listing was taken by William Denny, Esq. Daniel Haston was not mentioned, but Isaac appears on the list with 150 acres. David's total tax was .87 1/2. A court house tax was assessed this year. David's 100 acres was said to have been on Cane Creek. He was charged with one white poll. | ||
1819 | Ninth Child (Margrete [Peggy]) Born:* Nothing more is known about this daughter. (as per Haston Ridge web site) | ||
1820 | Federal Census: A David Hasting household is included on this census. There are three males under the age of 10 [these would have been Isham Bradley, Thomas C., & David Mc], two males between the ages of 10 to 16 [Willie B. & Daniel McComiskey], no males in the age 16 to 26 category, one male (presumably David) in the 26 to 45 age range, and one male over 45 years old. Who was this male that was over 45 years old? It doesn't seem to have been David's father, Daniel, since there was a Daniel Haston household consisting of a male and a female in this over 45 category. If the 1777 birth date is correct, David would have been 43 years old in 1820. David's household also included two females under the age of 10 [Loucinda & Margrete], one female between 10 and 16 [Mary "Polly"], one female in the ages 16 to 26 category [Malinda], one female who was somewhere between 26 and 45 years old (presumably Peggy), and no females over 45 years old. The record indicates that there were no slaves in the household. Although the census does not name the children, it does perfectly account for all nine of David's and Peggy's children born up to this time. The census ages match the dates of birth given in the David Haston family Bible. | ||
1820 | Appointed to County Court Jury Duty: David Haston appeared in the county court for jury duty and was "elected and sownr [sworn?] as Jury of Grand inquest for the body of the county of white..." David's neighbor, Daniel Dale, was also on this jury. | ||
1820 | Summoned for Circuit Court Jury Duty: David Haston and others were "summoned as Jurors to attend at the September term of the Circuit..." | ||
1821 | Appeared on a list of debtors: David Hastings appeared on an inventory of debts owed to a deceased Lawson Nourse, who was one of the earliest physicians in Sparta, TN. He was on the "Good Debt" section of the list for a $2.00 debt. There are approximately 800 names on the list. | ||
1821 | Tenth Child (James W.) Born:* James W. married Jane Shockley on October 14, 1841 in Van Buren County. One source says he died in 1858 in Van Buren County.
See Howard H. Hasting, Sr.'s material for more information on this son of David and Margaret Haston. | ||
1821 | White County, TN Tax List: Daniel Hasting, David Hasting, Joseph Hasting, and Isaac Hasting appeared on this "taxable property and polls" list in Captain Scoggon's "old" Company. The listing was taken by Nicholas Gillentine, Esq. David's total tax was 2.91 3/4. In addition to state, county, and poor taxes, a juror tax and a bridge & jail tax were assessed. David's 100 acres were said to have been on Big Spring. As usual, he was charged for one white poll. | ||
1822 | White County, TN Tax List: David Hasting, Joseph Hasting, and Isaac Hasting appeared on this "taxable property and polls" list in Captain Parker's Company. The listing was taken by N. Gillentine, Esq. As on the 1818 tax list, Daniel does not appear, but Isaac appears with the 150 acres on Big Spring. David's total tax was 2.50. His 100 acres were said to have been situated on Big Spring. As usual, he was charged for one white poll. | ||
1822 | Jury duty: David Hasten (WPA transcription spelling) served as a juror for this county court session. | ||
1822 | Appointed for road work: David Hastin (WPA transcription spelling) was appointed to work on the road "leading from Robert Gambles to a branch on top of the mountain East of William Crains..." "Isaac Hastin" and others who lived near the Hastons (example, Aquila Nearn, Jesse Brown, Isaac Brown, Wyatt Ogle, Wm. Brown, Robert Gamble, et. al.) were appointed to the same project. | ||
1822 | Appointed as an election judge: David Hasting (WPA transcription spelling) was appointed, along with Robt. Gamble, Isaac Plumber [sic], as a judge "to hold the money elected for com at McElhineys." | ||
1822 | Appointed Justice of Peace: David Hasting (and James Townsend, John W. Gleason, Stephen Palmer, & William McKinney) "produced in open Court a Commission signed by his Excellency William Carroll, Governor, of the State of Tennessee countersigned by David Graham Esqr. Secretary of State, commissions them as Justice of the peace for said County." The record further states that David and the others "severally took the oaths required by law, and Thereunto are permitted to act as Justices of the peace in and for the County of White, and as Justices of the Courts of pleas and quarter sessions in Said County." | ||
1822 | Appointed to assign workers for road work projects: "David Hastin Esqr." (WPA transcription spelling) was appointed to "assign a list of hands" to work on a road from "John Dales to the caney fork at porters ford." Daniel Dale was the overseer of this project. Thomas Meek was the "overseer of the road from Porters ford on caney fork to the first ford on Cane Creek above Abijah Cranes." "David Hastin Esqr." was appointed to assign hands for this project also.
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1822 | Sitting Justice of the Peace in county court: | ||
1822 | Ordered to receive 1823 tax list: "David Hastings Esqr." was, among others, ordered "to receive the lists of taxable property and polls in...captains companies for the year 1823." David's area of responsibility was "Capt. Parkers Company." | ||
1823 | Sitting Justice of the Peace in county court: | ||
1823 | Assigned a Justice of the Peace classification: "This day the court proceeded to the classification of the Justices of the peace to hold the courts of pleas & quarter sessions for the present year, which was determined by ballot as follows towit: [total of six classes assigned] Question: Is this "classification" simply a scheduling or are there levels of authority associated with the six levels mentioned here? (See also January 9, 1826 entry.) | ||
1823 | Returned tax list to court: "This day David Haston Esqr. returned in open court a list of Taxable property and polls in Capt. Parkers company for the year 1823." (see the 1823 White Co, TN tax list below) | ||
1823 | White County, TN Tax List: | ||
1823 | Unclaimed Mail in Sparta Post Office: David Haston was on a list of people who had unclaimed mail in Sparta, TN. Would love to know who sent that letter and what was in it! | ||
1823 | Eleventh Child (Nancy Jane) Born:* Nancy Jane married (1) McGregor Earles on November 2 or 7, 1843 (wedding performed by primitive Baptist minister, Rev. Ozias Denton**) and (2) Jesse Carrol on November 15, 1853. One source says she died in Warren County, TN, date unknown. | ||
1824 | White County, TN Tax List: Joseph Haston, Daniel Haston, and David Haston appeared on this "list of taxable property and polls" in Captain Arthur Parker's company. The listing was taken and returned by David Haston, Esq. David Haston owned 100 acres at this time. His land was located "on the big spring by D" (D = "ditto" for Caney Fork, in line above). His total tax was 1.70 1/4. David was charged poll tax for one white poll. | ||
1824 | Assigned Road Project Crew: Robert Gamble was "appointed Overseer of the road, from Cane Creek to the house of William Denny." David Hasting Esq. was responsible to "assign a list of hands to work thereon." | ||
1824 | Unclaimed Mail in Sparta Post Office: David Haston was on a list of people who had unclaimed mail in Sparta, TN. | ||
1824 | Entered into Bond for Joseph's Appointment as a Constable: Joseph Hasting was "this day appointed a constable for the full space and term of two years from the date hereof, and thereupon took the oath to support the constitution of the United States, the State of Tennessee and the oath of office, together with the several oaths prescribed by law, and together with David Hasting and Arthur Parker entered into and acknowledge bond in the sum of two hundred and fifty pounds, conditioned as the law requires." | ||
1824 | Assigned Road Crew Workers: It was "Ordered by Court that Robert Gamble be appointed Overseer of the road leading down the Caney fork from where the same leaves the Sequache [sic] Road at the East bank of Cane Creek near Abijah Cranes thence to the top of the mountain at Thomas Schockleys and keep the same in repair as the law requires, and that David Hasting and William Denny Esq. apportion hands between said Gamble and Abijah Crane overseer of one other lot road." | ||
1824 | Sitting Justice of the Peace for Court Session: David Haston was one of the JPs holding court during this week. His name appears at the beginning and/or the ending of each day of court during the period. Note: On Monday, October 11, of this 1824 session (original page 79 of WPA transcriptions), it was "Ordered that Isham Bradley be appointed to take charge of the Court house in Sparta, and keep the doors closed at all times except such times as Court is setting or preaching appointed or something of public interest to be transacted therein &c." However, just prior to the adjournment of court on the same day it was (original page 80) "Ordered by Court that the order appointing Isham Bradley to take charge of the Court house in Sparta be suspended until Monday next for reconsideration; and if not then acted upon to stand rescinded." Isham Bradley was a friend of the Haston family and had been the bondsman for David Haston's marriage in Knox County, some 24 years earlier. On the following Monday, David Haston was not one of the sitting JPs and no record is given, in the WPA court transcriptions for this following Monday session, of Isham Bradley or the job to "take charge of the Court house." | ||
1824 | Assigned Road Crew Workers: It was "Ordered by Court that the road leading from Cane Creek to Thomas Shockleys be divided into two sections, the division to take place at the house of William Denny, that Robert Gamble the present overseer keep in repair that part of the road from Cane Creek to William Dennys and that Thomas Jackson be appointed overseer of said road from William Dennys to Thomas Shockleys and keep the same in repair as the law requires and that David Haston and William Denny Esq assign and apportion the hands between said overseers..." | ||
1824 | Daughter Polly in Bastardy Case: Polly Haston (see her January 29, 1804 entry above) "refused to declare the father of the Bastard child begotten upon her and paid a fine of five dollars as required by law." Her father, David (who was a sitting Justice of the Peace in the court on this day!), then came "into open Court and acknowledged himself indebted to the State of Tennessee in the sum of Five hundred dollars, to the use of the State to be rendered nevertheless to be void on condition that the said Polly Haston shall at all times keep her said child from becoming chargable [sic] to the County of White..." | ||
1825 | White County, TN Tax List: Daniel Hasting, David Hasting, and Joseph Hasting appeared on this "taxable property and polls" list in Captain Parker's Company. The listing was probably taken by David Hasting, Esq. (although his name does not appear on the list). David owned 100 acres at this time. Beginning with this year, land was divided into "school lands" and "other lands." Probably the "school land" was taxable (or at a higher rate) and the other land was not (or at a lower rate). All of his land was in the "other lands" category. His total tax was 1.43 3/4. As usual, he was charged for one white poll. | ||
1825 | Unclaimed Mail in Sparta Post Office: David Haston was on a list of people who had unclaimed mail in Sparta, TN. | ||
1825 | Road Development Assignments: Note: Many other road projects were assigned to various people on this day. Source: Original pages 168-169 of Part 1 of the WPA transcriptions of White County, Tennessee (County Court) Minute Book, 1824-1827. | ||
1825 | Sitting Justice of Peace in County Court: David Hastin was signed in court on this Monday morning as one of the sitting Justices of the Peace. | ||
1825 | Assigns Road Crew Workers: It was "Ordered by Court that Dan Griffith be appointed overseer of the road from the middle of the river at Porters ford on the Caney fork to John Dales and keep the same in repair as the law requires, and that David Hastings Esqr. assign a list of hands to work thereon, road of first class."
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1825 | Appointed as Election Judge: David Hastin, Arthur Parker and Robert Gamble were appointed to be Judges for "the election of Governor of the State, a Representative in Congress, a member of the Senate and home of Representatives in the State Legislature..." These men were Judges for the voting "to be held by William Drury Esqr." | ||
1825 | Unclaimed Mail in Sparta Post Office: David Haston was on a list of people who had unclaimed mail in Sparta, TN. | ||
1825 | Sitting Justice of the Peace in County Court: David Hastings was one of the JPs who presided at this week of "Court of pleas and quarter sessions." His name was on the record each day, morning and/or evening, from Monday through Saturday. William Denny / Denney was also a JP for some of these court sessions. | ||
1826 | White Co, TN Census: Daniel Hastin, David Hastin, and Joseph Hastin appeared on a "list containing the names and number of free male inhabitants of the age of twenty years and upwards resident citizens in Capt. Parkers company on the 1st day of January 1826 taken by David Hasting, Esq." This list was not a typical tax list with property info, etc. given. It was more of a census, similar to the one taken in 1811. | ||
1826 | "Classed" as a Justice of the Peace: It was "Ordered by Court that the Justices of the peace be classed to hold the Courts of pleas and quarter sessions for White County..." "John Bryan, David Hasting, William Warren, Thomas Cooper and Waman Leftwich Esq. to hold the first week of April Court 1826." | ||
1826 | Assigned Road Crew Workers: It was "Ordered by Court that Wyatt Ogle be appointed overseer of the road from William Dennys to Thomas Shockleys and keep the same in repair as the law requires and that David Haston and William Denny Esq. assign a list of hands to work thereon..." | ||
1826 | Reports Tax Information to Court: "This day David Hasting Esq. returned in open Court a list of the taxable property and poles of Captain Parkers Company for the year 1826 which was ordered to be recorded-" | ||
1826 | Presents 1826 Census to Court: "This day David Hasting Esqrs. returned in open Court a list of the census taken in Captain Parkers Company for the year 1826 which was ordered to be recorded-" | ||
1826 | Assigned Road Crew Workers: It was "Ordered by Court that George Yeates be appointed overseer of the road from the middle of the river at Porters ford to the ten mile tree and keep the same in repair as the law requires and that David Hasting Esq assign a list of hands to work thereon it being a road f the first class-" | ||
1826 | White County, TN Tax List: Daniel Hastin, Senr., David Hastin, and Joseph Hastin appeared on this "taxable property and polls" list in Captain Parker's Company. The listing was taken by David Hasting, Esq. David Hastin owned 100 acres at this time, in the "other lands" category. David's total tax was 1.81 1/4. As usual, he was charged poll tax for one white poll. | ||
1826 | Entered into Bond for Joseph's Reappointment as Constable: "This day the Court proceeded to the appointment of a Constable in Captain Parkers Company and to that office do appoint Joseph Hasting for the next two years ensuing who thereupon took the oath prescribed by law and together with William Denny and David Hasting entered into an acknowledged bond in the sum of one thousand dollars conditioned as the law requires." | ||
1826 | Assigned Road Crew Workers: It was "Ordered by Court that Stephen Wallace be appointed overseer of the road from the middle of the river at Porters ford on caney fork, to John Dales and keep the same in repair as the law requires, it being a road of the first class, and that David Hasting Esq. assign a list of hands to work thereon" | ||
1826 | Appointed to Return the 1827 Tax List: "David Hasting Esq in Captain Steakley Company" Although the WPA abstract doesn't call this the 1827 tax list, it appears to be a typical annual assignment of tax roll duties that was given to Justices of the Peace. | ||
1826 | Sitting Justice of the Peace in County Court: David's name does not appear on the Thursday (October 12) morning list of JPs, but it (David Hasting) does appear on the list of JPs at the close of the day. Apparently, he arrived to the court session sometime during the day. He signed in as JP on Friday morning. The transcriber spells David's surname "Hasting." He was not on the JP list for Saturday, October 14. | ||
1827 | Returned Tax List: "This day David Hasting Esqs returned a list of the taxable property and poles in Captain Shockleys Company for the year 1827, which was ordered to be recorded." (see entry below for this 1827 tax list) | ||
1827 | White County, TN Tax List: David Hastin and Joseph Hastin appeared on a list of "taxable property and polls in Capt. Stukleys Co. for 1827. Returned by David Haston, Esq." David possessed 150 acres at this time (compare that with his 100 acres on previous tax lists). Apparently, he inherited the final portion of Daniel's property. That would probably have been the Daniel Haston home place. We do know that this property ended up in David's family and that it was common for the oldest son to receive the parents' home. All 150 acres were categorized as "other lands" (i.e. not "school lands") and his total tax for the year was 1.81 1/4. He was again charged for one white poll. | ||
1827 | David Granted 100 Acres: David acquired a 100 acres land grant (No. 1278) in White County. He was an "assignee of Isaac Dodson." This grant was made "pursuant to an act of the General Assembly...passed on the third day of December 1825." This appears to be the 1825 act of the TN General Assembly that allowed persons "to enter any vacant or unappropriated land...by paying into the county entry taker's office, one cent per acre," as per Chapter 64 (pages 72-73) of Public Acts, of the State of Tennessee for 1825 (from TSLA). This tract was "on the waters of the Caney fork and on Cumberland Mountain." It included "the improvement whereon Robert Kimbrel formerly lived and excluding the same from the land herein granted." | ||
1827 | Twelfth Child (Isaac T.) Born:* Isaac T. married Elizabeth Sparkman on January 30, 1846, in Van Buren Co. He died September 19, 1875, in Van Buren Co. (as per Haston Ridge website) | ||
1827 | Sitting Justice of Peace in County Court: David Haston was one of the "Justices of the Court of pleas and quarter sessions in and for the county of White..." for this week of court. | ||
1827 | Appointed as a Road Commissioner: It was "Ordered by court that Simon Doyle, David Haston, Spencer Mitchell, John White Senr. Christopher Steakley, Robert Gamble and Isaac Brown be appointed Commissioners to review lay off and mark a road Beginning on Cumberland Mountain near James Moses, above Isaac Browns, on Hails Turnpike road and from thence the nearest and best way to intersect a road that is now opening at or near a place known by the name of Keiths Cabbins on the Water of Glade Creek and report thereof to the next term of this Court..." It was also "Ordered by Court that Robert Gamble, Isaac Brown, William Denny, David Haston and Abijah Crane be appointed commissioners to review lay off and mark a road leading from Abijah Cranes to Sparta From Abijah Cranes Gate to the top of a red hill not exceeding one half of a mile from the gate and there or near the top of said red hill intersect with the road now leading to Sparta and report thereof to the next term of this court-" | ||
1827 | Sitting Justice of Peace in County Court: David Hasting's name was on the list of JPs at the beginning of the day but, apparently, he didn't stay all day. His name doesn't appear on the afternoon's closing of session list of JPs. | ||
1827 | Assigned Road Crew Workers: It was "Ordered by Court that the road as reviewed by Comrs. near James Moores on Cumberland Mountain, be established, and that Thomas Moore be appointed overseer thereof being a road of the second class, and open and keep the same in repair as the law directs, and that David Hastings Esq. assign a list of hands to work thereon." Source: Original page 525 of Part 2 [numbers continue from Part 1] of the WPA transcriptions of White County, Tennessee (County Court) Minute Book, 1824-1827. | ||
1828 | White County, TN Tax List: David Hasting and Joseph Hasting appeared on a list of "taxable property and polls in Capt. Stukleys Co. for 1828." The list was taken by Wm Denny, Esq. David was credited with 150 acres, situated on the Caney Fork. Apparently the 100 acres that he had recently acquired in 1827 was not included on this tax list because it was not officially registered until September 24, 1828 (as per Grant # 911). All of his land was categorized as "other lands" (not "school lands"). His total tax for the year was 1.65 3/4. He was again charged as one white poll. | ||
1829 | Thirteenth Child (William Carroll) Born:* The David Haston family Bible record indicates that William Carroll was born on March 2, 1829, and that this was a Monday (which, for March of 1829, would harmonize with the 2nd day of the month). William Carroll married Jane Denny on December 3, 1846. He died on January 11, 1902, in Van Buren County. This son was probably named after the famous William Carroll, an American general in the War of 1812, close friend of Andrew Jackson, and Governor of TN around the time of his birth (TN Governor, 1821-1827 & 1829-1835). David's Justice of the Peace commission had been granted by Governor William Carroll (see October 14, 1822 timeline entry). A brief (two pages) biographical sketch of William Carroll Haston's life was published in 1898. This sketch confirms his birth date as March 2, 1829. | ||
1829 | David Granted 71+ Acres: David acquired a land grant of 71+ acres ("being all that could be got exclusive of older claims") in White County. The land was surveyed on November 7, 1829, and was entered or registered on May 27, 1830. David only paid one cent per acre for this land, due to the December 3, 1825 act of the TN General Assembly that allowed people to secure vacant or unappropriated lands in certain parts of Tennessee. This land was adjacent to Shockley and Denney's land. It included "two small springs above Joseph Brown's." The land appears to have been on the north side of the Cumberland Mountain. Wiley B. Haston and Isham B. Haston assisted the surveyor.
Note: From the tax records and deeds that we know of, the July 27, 1829, seems to have been the final land acquisition that David Haston made (other than the 1848 purchase of town lots in Spencer). Note: See also the January 27, 1854 document which clearly describes the five tracts of land that David Haston sold to his youngest son, William Carroll Haston, Sr., for the meager price of $1000. | ||
1829 | Performed Wedding for Louisa Hastings: David Hastings, Esq. performed a wedding for Thomas Taylor Green and Louisa Hastings in White County, TN. This Louisa Hastings was the daughter of Daniel & Chloe Skaggs Haston / Hastings of Adair Co, KY. Was this 'Daniel Haston" of south central Kentucky a younger brother of David Haston of White County, Tennessee? Was Louisa a niece of David Haston, Esquire? More | ||
1829 | White County, TN Tax List: Although there is a generally complete tax list for this year, there seems to be no existing record (in the original book or the microfilm copy of that record) for the militia area where David and Joseph Haston lived. Perhaps it was not reported, but more likely it was lost at some point prior to the microfilming of the records. | ||
1830 | Federal Census: David Hastings was on the 1830 Federal Census for White Co, TN. He was in the 50-60 years of age category at that time. There were three males under age five years, one male 10-14 years, two males 15-19 years. There were two females 5-9 years old, one female 10-14, one female 20-29, and one female (presumably Margaret, his wife) in the 40-49 years of age category. | ||
1831 | Road Commissioner Appointment: By an act of the TN General Assembly, it was "enacted..., that David Hastings be appointed commissioner of the turnpike road owned by Hale, leading from White county to Bledsoe, and have the same fees and perform the same duties required by the commissioners appointed in 1829." | ||
1832 | White County, TN Tax List: These names appear on a "Tax Property and Polls List" in Captain Parker's Company for 1832: William B. Hastin, Sally (nickname for Sarah) Hastin, Alfred Hastin, and David Hastin. The list was returned by David Hastings, Esquire. David Hastin owned 75 acres of "school land" and 100 acres of "other land." He was assessed 126 3/4 for taxes. David was not charged for any poll tax, probably because of his age. | ||
1832 | Unclaimed Mail in Sparta: On this day, David Hastin Esq. had unclaimed mail at the Sparta post office. | ||
1832 | Road Commissioner Appointment Upheld: "Be it enacted, That all laws appointing any other persons than David Hasting and Jonathan Whiteside commissioners on Hale's turnpike road be repealed." | ||
1833 | White County Tax List: These names appear on a "Tax Property and Polls List" in Captain Simmons' Company for 1833: Isaac Hasting, Alfred Hasting, Sally Hasting, William? Hasting," __?__ Hasting, Isham B. Hasting, Thomas C. Hasting, & David Hasting. David was taxed for 71 acres of school land and 150 acres of "other" land. His property tax was $1.381. He was not charged a poll tax. Note: A ? indicates that the print is faded at that point and the names are unclear. According to Tennessee Cousins by Worth S. Ray, David Hastings, ESQ. took the listing of "taxable property and polls" for Captain Simmons' Company in 1833. William B. Hasting, Isham B. Hasting, Thomas C. Hasting, and David Hasting were on that list. Note: Attached to the 1833 tax list was a census of "free male inhabitants in the county of White" (TN): A total of 1873 names appeared on this list, including: Isaac Hasting, William Hasting, William B. Hasting, Isham B. Hasting, David Hasting are some of the names of men who lived in Captain Simmons' district. Daniel Haston (son of David Haston) was living in Captain Anderson's militia district (probably in the Lost Creek community). Some of the names are dim, so there may be other Haston/Hasting names on the list. | ||
1834 | White County, TN Tax List: These names appear on a "Taxable Property and Poll" list for Captain Simmons' company, which was returned by Jesse Scoggins, Esquire: James A. Haston, William B. Haston, Isham B. Haston, Thomas C. Haston, David Haston, Sally Haston, and Isaac Haston. David Haston owned 75 acres of school land and 150 acres of "other" land. He was taxed 1.54 1/4 dollars.Source: 1834 White County, TN tax list. | ||
1835 | White County, TN Tax List: These names appear on a "Taxable Property and Polls" list in Captain Shockley's Company for 1835, which was returned by D. Hasting, Esq.: William B. Hasting, Isham B. Hasting, James A. Hasting, Sarah Hasting, Isaac Hasting, and David Hasting. David owned 144 acres of school land and 150 acres of "other" land. He was taxed 1.83 3/4. Apparently, David had acquired 69 acres of school land since the 1834 tax period. | ||
1835 | Sitting Justice of Peace in County Court: David Hasting, along with Joseph Cummings, Jr., Jesse Scoggan, and several other Justices of the Peace, opened this session of court. | ||
1835 | Assigned Road Crew Workers: It was "Ordered by Court that Barnett K. Mitchell be appointed Overseer of the road from Capt. Whites to the mouth of Cane Creek at the ford of Caney Fork, being a road of the second class that D. Hasting Esqr. assign a list of hands to work thereon &c." Note: This tells us that David Haston lived at the "top of the hill" on the road near the mouth of Cane Creek. Also, a January 1, 1838 entry in the White Co Court Minutes (original page 205 of WPA abstracts) indicates the same location for David's house: "...road from the fork of the road near the mouth of Caney fork to the top of the hill at David Haston being a road of the second class..." | ||
1835 | Voting Precinct to be Held at David's House: Spencer Mitchell, Daniel Dale, and Jesse Scoggin were "appointed as Jurors to hold the next General Election for members of Congress of the United States Governor of the State of Tennessee and Members to the General Assembly...at the Precinct at David Hastings..." | ||
1835 | Appointed to Plan a Road: "Ordered by Court that Jesse Scoggin, David Hasting, John White, Sr., Robert Gamble, and Spence Mitchell, freeholders be appointed a Jury of reason to lay off and mark a road from the Sequachee road passing James Simmons's intersecting the road leading to McMinnville being a road of the third class, and report to the next term of this Court." | ||
1835 | Witnessed a Deed: David Haston and Willie B. Haston witnessed a deed on this date for a transaction for 35 acres on the waters of Cane Creek, from Cader Measles to Micajah Walker. The land was in White County, TN at that time, but the deed was apparently not registered until 1851 when the land was in Van Buren County. | ||
1835 | Opened County Court Session as a Justice of the Peace: Twenty three men, including David Hasting, opened this October 1835 session of court with their signatures. Only three JPs appear to have been in court by the end of the day. | ||
1835 | Assigned Road Crew Workers: "Ordered by Court that Charles Denny be appointed Overseer of the road from William Dennys old place, to the top of the Mountain at John Frisbys being a road of the second class, and keep the same in repair as the law requires and that David Hasting and Joseph Cummings Esqr assign a list of hands to work there on" | ||
1835 | Voting Precinct in His Home Discontinued: "For reasons appearing to the satisfaction of the Court, it is ordered that the precinct here to fore established at the home of David Hasting Esqr. be discontinued, and that a precinct for holding elections for Governor etc. be established at Kirklands Store, on the South side of Caney Fork." | ||
1835 | Ordered to Receive List of Taxable Property and Polls: "David Hasting Esqr." was ordered to receive the list of taxable property and polls in "Capt Stockleys Company" for the year 1836. | ||
1832-1836 | Index to White Co Tax Book: These names occur in this tax book index: "Hasting, Alfred D., Daniel, David, Isaac, Isham B, James A, Sally, Sarah, Thomas B, Wilin C. William B." | ||
1836 | White County, TN Tax List: At this time, White County reorganized into "Districts." The old militia system of civil organization was dropped. The area where the early Hastons settled was assigned to District 15. These names appear on the 1836 tax list for District 15: David Haston, James A. Haston, Isaac Haston, Willie B. Haston, Isham B. Haston, and David M.C. Haston. David Haston owned 150 acres of "land" which was valued at $1500. He also owned 144 acres of "school land" which was valued at $140. Apparently, the school land was mountain land that was only useful for timber and other non-residential or agricultural purposes. The taxes from "school land" probably were designated for the support of public education. David was charged 57.0 for "state tax" and 2.42 (?) for "county & state tax." | ||
1836 | Opened County Court Session as a Justice of the Peace: "David Hasting" was one of the JPs who opened this January 1836 court session. | ||
1836 | Adopted Child or Grandchild (Katherine Moore Haston) Born: Katherine Moore Haston was born. She was reared by David and Peggy Haston and took on the Haston surname. Who was she? Was she, in some way, related to the man to whom Loucinda L. Haston bore Edward Cyrus Moore? Edward Cyrus Moore also lived with David & Margaret and also took on the Haston surname. The 1800 Warren Co, TN census indicates that Loucinda only bore one child and that child was not living at the time of the census (Edward Cyrus Moore Haston died in 1898). | ||
1837 | White County, TN Tax List: These names appear in District 15 of the 1837 White County tax list: Isham B. Haston, Willie B. Haston, David M. Haston, Thomas C. Haston, David Haston, and Isaac Haston. David Haston owned 150 acres of land, which was valued at $1000, and was taxed "50" for that land. He also owned 75 acres of "school land," which was valued at .6, and was taxed ".3" for that land. | ||
1837 | Appointed as an Election Judge: David Haston, Joseph Cummings, Jr., and Spence Mitchell were appointed "Judges in the County of White to hold an Election...in August next for electing Representatives in Congress members of Legislation, &c." Their precinct was in District 15 in White County, TN. | ||
1837 | Land Deal: David Haston, along with more than 100 other men, entered into some kind of land deal with Thomas B. Eastland involving 5000 acres. It appears that Eastland may have purchased tracts of land from all of these people. Perhaps this was mountain land. This same Thomas B. Eastland made several similar kinds of deals with other groups of people in about this same time. | ||
1838 | White County, TN Tax List: These names appear in District 15 of the 1838 White County tax list: David Haston, Thomas C. Haston, Willie B. Haston, Isham B. Haston, David M.C. Haston, and Isaac Haston. David Haston owned 150 acres of land, which was valued at $600, and was taxed "30" for that land. He also owned 75 acres of "school land," which was valued at .6, and was taxed ".3" for that land. The taxable value of David Haston's land decreased from $1500 in 1836, to $1000 in 1837, to $600 in 1838. | ||
1838 | Appointed to a Jury to Assess Damages for a Road: In this same day of court it had been ordered that a road be built that would pass over part of the land owned by John H. Dale. Mr. Dale objected to the road and requested that he be paid damages for the location of the road. "It is thereupon ordered by the Court that Stephen Wallis, John White, Sr., William Burden, John Austin, John W. Simpson, Pleasant Waller, Jacob Stipe, David Hatson [sic], Robert Love, Spence Mitchell, Jesse Scoggin, and Samuel Parker, freeholders be appointed a Jury to examine the above road as laid off and marked by the Commissioners where it passes through the lands of John H. Dale and thereon to assess the amount of damages (if any) which the said John H. Dale hath sustained in consequinces of the establishment & opening of said road and report thereof at the next term of this Court." | ||
1838 | John H. Dale Road Damage Case Revisited: "Ordered by Court that the order appointing Stephen Wallis, John White, Sr., William Burden, John Austin, John W. Simpson, Pleasant Waller, Jacob Stipe, David Haston, Robert Love, Spence Mitchell, Jesse Scoggins and Samuel Parker freeholders a Jury to examine the road as laid off and marked by Commissioners where it passes through the lands of John H. Dale and thereon assess the amount of Damages (if any) which the said John H. Dale hath sustained in Consequence of the establishment and opening said road be renewed and report thereof to the next term of this Court." | ||
1838 | Unknown Child (Richmond T. Jones) Born: Richmond T. Jones was born in Van Buren County, TN. It is unknown as to whether he was a child of one of David & Margaret Haston's children or was an orphan from another family that was taken in by David & Margaret Haston. He does appear on the 1850 Van Buren Co, TN census with the Haston surname. | ||
1839 | White County, TN Tax List: These names appear in District 15 of the 1839 White County tax list: Sarah Haston, Isham B. Haston, David Haston, Thomas C. Haston, David M.C. Haston, Willie B. Haston, and Isaac Haston. David Haston owned 150 acres of land, which was valued at $900, and was taxed "45" for that land. He also owned 75 acres of "school land," which was valued at .6, and was taxed ".3" for that land. The taxable value of David Haston's land increased from $600 in 1838 to $900 in 1839. | | ||
1839 | Petition for Creation of Van Buren Co, TN: David Haston was one of the signers of the petition to create Van Buren, County. The petition was dated January 25, 1839. Van Buren County was established, from portions of White, Warren and Bledsoe counties, on January 3, 1840. The land that Daniel, David, and Joseph settled was in the southern part of White County and became a part of Van Buren County when the new county was formed. Other signers (on page # 25-1839-8) include: David Mc Haston, W.B. Haston, I.B. Haston, Thomas Haston, & Isaac Haston. | ||
1840 | Federal Census for White County: David Hastin was on the 1840 US Census for White County, TN. He was in the 60-70 age category at that time. There was one female in the 50-60 age category, which would probably have been Margaret/Peggy. There were also three boys in the household, one under five years old, two from 10-15, and one from 15-20. There was a female child under age 5, another from 15-20 years old, and young woman in the 20-30 age category. |
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Our Hiestand/Haston Connection to a Musical Superstar
Bert Kaempfert on a Historic Swiss Hiestand Farm
If you were listening to popular music in the 1960s-1970s, you may not remember his name, but you will remember his music–Bert Kaempfert. Mr. Kaempfert was not one of our Hiestand relatives, but at the height of his success and fame, he was living and composing music on a Swiss farm that our ancestors cleared and claimed 500+ years earlier.
Take a look at this Schönau article (link below) to understand the significance of this Bert Kaempfert story.
On June 19, 2023, our Hiestand-Haston tour group visited a farm on a ridge high above Lake Hütten (Hüttnersee), south of Lake Zürich in Canton Zürich, Switzerland. The farm is known as Hinter Schönau, meaning the rear farm in a remote nook (Schönau) of Canton Zürich. We were warmly greeted by the couple who currently live and farm on the very spot where our Hiestand ancestors lived nearly 600 years ago. In fact, our Hiestand ancestors were connected with the first known (May 15, 1453) mention of the Schönau. Hiestands were likely the ones who cleared the Schönau by controlled burning in the first half of the 1400s. Sometime after the Anabaptist (Mennonite) movement started (1525) and took hold along the southwest shore of Lake Zürich, the rear (Hinter) Schönau became a place of refuge for Anabaptists, including some Hiestands who were living there.
We were surprised when the Schönau farming couple informed us that the famous Bert Kaempfert had owned the farm, lived there from 1969 until he died in 1980, and composed music on that remote farm that overlooks scenic Lake Zürich.
The following material is from an October 2023 article by Adrian Scherrer, a Swiss historian.
In the summer of 1966, Kaempfert moved from Germany to Canton Zug in Switzerland for a more tax-friendly residence. From there he came across a property above Hütten (Canton Zürich) that seemed ideal as a retreat. Next to a farm on Schönau was a weekend and vacation home that had been built in 1961 and was for sale. In 1969, he acquired the entire farm including the vacation home. He had the latter extensively renovated and extended. His primary residence remained in the canton of Zug for tax reasons. But after the conversion, he mainly lived and worked in the house at the rear of Schönau. He leased out the farm. “In the solitude of the mountains was where he had the best ideas.”1 In reality, however, his house was a spacious property with several guest rooms, a large well-kept garden, and a terrace that offered a fantastic view over the whole of Lake Zürich. To achieve this he had part of the plateau on which the house stood removed. He set himself with his grand piano and a sound studio and prepared his recordings together with Herbert Rehbein. He traveled to Hamburg twice a year to record the new compositions.
Bert Kaempfert created a retreat for himself in Hütten. But he certainly sought contact with the local population. Every now and then he invited guests from the village. And he also liked to entertain in the Hüttner inns. Source: Jahrbuch der Stadt Waedenswil 2023
1Agency text in numerous newspapers on June 30, 1980.
Bert Kaempfert - The Arranger and Conductor
1923-1980
Bert Kaempfert (born Berthold Heinrich Kämpfert; 16 October 1923 – 21 June 1980) was a German orchestra leader, multi-instrumentalist, music producer, arranger, and composer. He made easy listening and jazz-oriented records and wrote the music for a number of well-known songs, including “Strangers in the Night”, “Danke Schoen” and “Moon Over Naples”.
Kaempfert was born in Hamburg, Germany, where he received his lifelong nickname, Fips, and studied at the local school of music. A multi-instrumentalist, he was hired by Hans Busch to play with his orchestra, before serving as a bandsman in the German Navy during World War II. He later formed his own big band and toured with them, following that by working as an arranger and producer, making many hit records.
In his capacity as a record producer, Kaempfert played a part in the rise of the Beatles. In 1961, he hired the Beatles to back Tony Sheridan on an album called My Bonnie. Sheridan had been performing in Hamburg and needed to recruit a band to play behind him on the proposed tracks. Kaempfert auditioned and signed the Beatles [See below]. -Wikipedia
On the Death of Bert Kaempfert: A Life Full of Music
“Wonderland at Night”, “Strangers In The Night”, “Thank You” and “Spanish Eyes” are just a few titles that have made Kaempfert, who has lived in Zug for 14 years, world-famous. In recent years he has enjoyed great success with his dreamy music, especially in the USA.
Bert Kaempfert music has been an unmistakable, typical trademark for many years. Dominant bass figures, an imperceptible beat, gentle trumpets, a unique mix of strings and voices – that’s how millions know and like him. A man of quiet tones who didn’t need noisy mountains of amplifiers for his concerts. With his music he shaped a style that went around the world. Although he became world-famous through super hits like “Spanish Eyes” and “Strangers In The Night,” he didn’t make many comments about himself and his global successes. For years he lived in seclusion, hidden from the public. “It’s enough if you know my melodies,” said “Fips” – as his friends called him. Only recently has he been able to persuade himself to go on tour and show his audience in front of the television camera.
When Bert Kaempfert composed and arranged (he made at least two long-playing records every year) he retreated to a small chalet on a mountain farm outside Zug. “The best melodies come to me in the solitude of the mountains,” he said. As a native of Hamburg, he often and enjoyed visiting his hometown. Especially since his two married daughters live on the Elbe. By the way, the grandchildren are also highly musical. As soon as Bert Kaempfert gave them trumpets, they played “Strangers In The Night” for him. But he also visited Hamburg often for another reason: many of his old friends live in the Hanseatic city. And there is also the studio where his records were produced.
57-year-old Bert Kaempfert died of heart failure in Malta.
Source: Thuner Tagblatt, Volume 104, Number 150, June 30, 1980.
Listen to Many of His Greatest Hits
Bert Kaempfert - The Music Producer
Signed the Beatles to Their First Contract
And if I may add: I know that the Beatles episode is considered very important in the English-speaking world. His songs for Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole had much more impact.
Adrian Scherrer, Swiss Historian
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Charles Lynn Haston, Sr.
Charles Lynn Haston, Sr.
From a White County, TN Farm to a Leader in Tennessee Higher Education
From a White County, TN farming family to a Vice President of Middle Tennessee State University and other leadership roles in Tennessee higher education, Lynn Haston has lived a very full and productive life. Beginning as a seven-year-old paperboy in East Sparta, TN, he worked a wide variety of common jobs throughout his teen and young adult years, including a couple of stints in Detroit automobile plants. There is so much that could be said about his professional life and experiences! I want to present a few of the highlights from the life of this remarkable Haston cousin.
Charles Lynn Haston's Family Background
Great-Great-Great Grandson of Daniel Haston
Grandparents: Joe Morgan & Willie Rogers Haston
Parents: Charlie V. & Elizabeth Maude Mitchell Haston
Charles Lynn Haston was born on February 3, 1932, in White County, TN. His parents were Charlie V. and Elizabeth Maude Mitchell Haston. I know that Lynn would be quick to add that his mother’s Mitchell family played a major role in his development as a child and young adult.
In an era when higher education was not on many of the minds of young men in White County and Sparta, TN, Lynn was determined to pursue a college education but probably not yet aware of how far he might go up the ladder of higher education.
- 1st and 2nd Grades – Sparta (TN) City School
- 3rd through 6th Grades – Elementary School; Detroit, Michigan
- 7th and 8th Grades – Doyle Elementary School; Doyle, TN
- High School – White County High School; Sparta, TN (top ten graduate)
- Freshman and Sophomore Years College – Middle Tennessee State University; Murfreesboro, TN
- Final Two Years College – George Washington University; Washington, DC – Bachelor of Arts
[Enlisted in the army, stationed at Fort Knox, KY] - Summer term at Tennessee Technological University; Cookeville, TN
- Graduate School – Vanderbilt School of Law; Nashville, TN – LL.B (Legum Baccalaureus)
- Graduate School – Memphis State University; Memphis, TN – Masters in Business
- Graduate School – Memphis State University; Memphis, TN – EdD (Doctor of Education) ABD (all but dissertation)
Lynn's Professional Experiences
Some Highlights of Lynn Haston’s Professional Career
- House Document Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. – 1952-54
- State Auditor and Legislative Liaison, Comptroller of the Treasurer, State of Tennessee, Nashville, TN – 1956-59
- Nashville Bank and Trust, Nashville, TN, Assistant Trust Officer – 1959-64 (Nashville Bank and Trust merged with Third National Bank)
- Third National Bank, Nashville, TN, Assistant Trust Officer – 1965
- Owensboro National Bank, Owensboro, KY, Assistant Trust Officer – 1965
- Memphis State University, Memphis, TN – Administrative Assistant to the President, Legal Counsel, and Assistant Dean of School of Law – 1965-73
- State University and Community College System, State Board of Regents, Nashville, TN, General Counsel and Secretary to the Board – 1973-75
- Tennessee School of Boards Association, Nashville, TN, Legal Consultant – 1974-79
- Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, Vice President for Administration – 1975-1980; Associate Professor in MTSU School of Business – 1980-1981
White County, TN Roles, After MTSU Years: - Practiced law in Sparta, TN
- City Attorney for Sparta and Spencer, TN
- City Judge and Municipal Court Judge of Sparta, TN
- White County, TN Election Commission Member and Chairman
- Chairman of the Democratic Party for White County, TN
- Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce for Sparta and White County, TN
- County Commissioner for White County (two years)
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After Whom Was White County, TN Really Named?
Is the Information on this Historical Marker correct?
Was John White the First Settler of White County, TN?
And Was White County, TN Named to Honor Him?
The most common tradition is that the county was named for John White, a Revolutionary War veteran from Virginia and an early settler in White County. Monroe Seals, author of History of White County, stated (without indicating a source) that John White “was the first settler of White County and that the County was named for him.”[i] Seals asserted that John White was living in the White County area as early as 1789, which would have been prior to the 1791 Holston Treaty and 14 years before the October 1805 Tellico Treaty that opened White County to white settlements.
[i] Seals, 84.
As far as I know, there has never been any documentation to prove that John White was in pre-White County that early or that the county was named for him. In fact, there is evidence to the contrary. On July 26, 1804 his daughter, Elisabeth White, married John Scoggins in Washington County, Virginia.[i] And there are tax records that show he and his family were in Washington County, Virginia as late as October 1805.[ii]
[i] Marty Hiatt and Craig Roberts Scott, Washington County, Virginia Marriages – Minister Returns, 1776-1855. (Athens, GA: Iberian Publishing Company, 1994), 178, 406.
[ii] Thomas Jack Hockett, Washington County, Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists, Volume 3 (1800-1807, 1809-1810), (Athens, GA: Iberian Publishing Company, 2005), 155.
According to a previous White County historian, Charles Leonard, John White first settled in the northern portion of White County. Then on June 1, 1808 he purchased 592 acres in the lower end of Hickory Valley, only a mile or so north of the Caney Fork River from the Daniel Haston family. It was on his Hickory Valley land that he built a house which is supposedly the “the oldest house in White County.”[i] In 1995 the building was moved to the White County fairgrounds, north of Sparta, and is still standing.
[i] J. Sharon Johnson Doliante, White County Tennessee Oldest Marriage Book, 1809-1859. (Printed by author, 1977), v.
Some of my family members who grew up very close to John White’s homeplace have said there were portholes in the original log structure of John White’s house. If that is true, the house was definitely built very early, even before Indian threats ceased in that area. According to a long standing popular story in White County, while John White was clearing ground for his first crop, two hostile Indians captured his 17-year-old daughter or tried to do so. Thus, if that is true, his fears of Indian threats were well-founded.
Although John White did serve his country as a fifer in the Revolution, his service record apparently was not extraordinary and he does not appear prominently in the early records of the county’s government. The first record of his presence in White County is a signature on the July 22, 1806 petition to create the county, the same petition signed by Daniel and Joseph Haston.
In 1965, one descendant-researcher of John White wrote:
This John White is not known to have been in the area which became White County, much before the date he purchased his land there, on June 1 1808. White County was formed in 1806, and John White did not sell his land in Washington County, Virginia until late in 1805. He was neither a wealthy nor a famous man. He had been a Revolutionary soldier, but merely a private. The only possible reason we can think of, and it’s hardly plausible, might be that John White helped to survey the area* which was to be formed into the new county, and by some twist of fate, someone named it for him; but frankly, we doubt any connection.[i]
*In 1976 (eleven years after making the above statement), based solely on the fact that survey instruments were mentioned in John White’s estate settlement, the author of the above statement hedged her previous assertion. She wrote, “We are now inclined to give some credence to the possibility that the county may indeed have been named for John White, Sr.”[ii]
[i] J. Sharon Johnson Doliante, Genealogical Serendipity, Volume I. (Alexandria, VA: published by author, 1965), 278.
[ii] J. Sharon Johnson Doliante, White County, Tennessee Oldest Marriage Book (1809-1859). (Santa Barbara, CA: published by author, 1977), v
There is no evidence that John White surveyed the boundaries of White County. Being a newcomer in 1805 or 1806 to Tennessee, White County in particular, it is unlikely that he would have been chosen to conduct the survey, at least as a lead surveyor.
The earliest (known) account of the history of White County was published in 1886 by the Goodspeed Company, almost 50 years before the 1935 publication of The History of White County by Reverend Monroe Seals and only 80 years after the county was founded. Although it was only a brief overview covering 15 1/2 (small print) pages, the Goodspeed history does provide a wealth of historical data on the origin, description, and early years of the county and appears to be quite accurate. John White is only mentioned once in this 1886 book and that is only in a list of over 100 other names of earlier settlers in the county. The is no special recognition given to him, particularly any mention of White County having been named after him.
As far as we know now, Monroe Seals was the first person to state in print that the county was named for John White. Rev. Seals grew up in the general area where John White and his family lived. Since Seals does not state any documented proof of his assertion, it is very possible that he was simply influenced by family lore that circulated in and around the John White family.
In All Fairness to Rev. Monroe Seals...
PREFACE
I have drawn from all sources, am indebted to hundreds of people, to records and the original section of the Expositor. I aim to give many things not in print. I introduce witnesses who have gone before for sixty years. It has been a difficult task, tradition as such being unreliable, and the written works not much better. I have written under great difficulties.
I have aimed at an unbiased narrative, giving the truth. I likely have made omissions in this work inadvertently, therefore I invite corrections by the public.
-Rev. Monroe Seals
If Not John White, Then Who Was Honored with the White County Name?
General James White?
In 1902, more than three decades before the Monroe Seals History of White County book was published, a special historical edition of the Sparta Expositor asserted that “J.M. Overton, President and manager of Bon Air Coal, Land, and Lumber Company, is great-grandson of General James White, for whom White County was named.”[i] At the time this 1902 article was written, the author stated that “These are all familiar names to White Countians.” In 1806, when White County was founded, the names General/Judge James White (as well as others mentioned in the article) would have been even much more familiar to White Countians. At that time, James White was still very active in East Tennessee. He was the Speaker of the Tennessee Senate, from 1801-1805, finishing his term only about a year before White County was formed and named. During the Creek War, Brigadier General James White led a military offensive in late 1813 against Creek villages in Alabama. He died in 1821.
[i] White County Heritage Book Committee, 1.
General White was certainly a prominent Tennessee man. He was the founder of White’s Fort and Knoxville, and a key military and civic leader in East Tennessee. Many of the earliest White County settlers would have known him from their sojourns in East Tennessee, including members of Daniel Haston’s family.* He would have been the kind of man for which many other Tennessee counties were named–heroic, famous statewide, and a significant leader in the creation and earliest years of the State. Perhaps J.M. Overton knew something about the naming of White County that time has buried.
*Note: You may recall that this James White was the Justice of the Peace to whom Nathaniel Hays went to initiate the “cow tails” case against David Haston. His “White’s Fort” was located across the Holston River from where Daniel’s family lived.
Hugh Lawson White?
Hugh Lawson White, the son of Knoxville’s General James White has occasionally been mentioned as a possible person for whom the White County, TN was named. After filling in several posts particularly in Tennessee’s judiciary and state legislature since 1801, thereunder as a Tennessee Supreme Court justice, Hugh Lawson White was chosen to succeed former presidential candidate Andrew Jackson in the United States Senate in 1825. In 1836, HL White was a Whig candidate for the office of United States President.
Note: Hugh Lawson White was the prosecuting attorney in the Knox County, TN “timothy lot” case in which Joseph Haston, Daniel’s son, was the successful defendant.
In a 1904 article, Jay Guy Cisco asserted that White County was named in honor of Hugh Lawson White, jurist and statesman, who was born in Iredell County, North Carolina. Among other professions, Cisco was an editor of the Forked Deer Blade newspaper in Jackson, Tennessee. Coral Williams responded to Cisco’s claim regarding Hugh Lawson White and White County in her “Legends and Stories of White County, Tennessee” master’s thesis: “It is improbable that the county was named for Hugh L. White, for he was at that time an obscure young man.”
Hugh Lawson White certainly distinguished himself as a key figure in the early decades of the state, but in 1806 he was 33 years old and most of his impressive career was still ahead of him.
The 1887 Goodspeed History of White County, Tennessee does not mention the name of the man for whom the county was named.
Former White County historian Charles Leonard wrote an article for a July 25, 1992 supplement to The Expositor newspaper in Sparta—“Who Was the Founder of White County?” This article was republished in the January-March 2005 edition of the White County Genealogical-Historical Society’s PastFinder newsletter. Leonard made a strong evidence-based case for the county being named for General James White.
But, In View of the Evidence, What Do You Think?
Who was, most likely, the man for whom White County, TN was named?
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The Haston Family Tree – From Roots to Shoots
The Story of the Daniel Haston Family Visualized
Telling Our Haston Family Story - From Bottom to Top
Our Daniel Haston family story is rather simple.
It can be told in four steps, and clarified with a bit of explanation at each step.
First – Our European roots are in Switzerland. Our original family name was Hiestand. The first known appearance of the name occurred in 1401 in Zürich, Switzerland. In the 1600s, some of our ancestors became Anabaptists (Mennonites) because they believed that people should be old enough to (1) understand the gospel of Jesus Christ and (2) personally receive Him as their Savior before being (3) baptized. Because of their basic evangelical faith these ancestors were severely persecuted and forced to flee Switzerland.
Second – Our Anabaptist (Mennonite) ancestors were invited to settle in and near the village of Ibersheim on the Rhineland of Southwest Germany. In 1704, Henrich Hiestand was born there to one of the Swiss refugee farming families. In 1727, as a young adult, Henrich left Germany and journeyed to Pennsylvania in order to secure land to farm and raise a family. He soon had 226 acres surveyed in what became Lancaster County, got married there, and began to raise a family. But after a few years in Lancaster County, Henrich (our immigrant ancestor) moved to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and purchased 205 acres on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River.
Third – On the beautiful riverfront property in Virginia, his youngest son Daniel was born in about 1750. A Shenandoah County, Virginia marriage record informs us that Daniel married Christina Nave on September 28, 1773.
Fourth – In about 1783, Daniel moved his young family to what is now East Tennessee. While the U.S. Government was negotiating with the Cherokee native Americans for the ownership of land west of the Cumberland Mountain range, Daniel moved to what is now Middle Tennessee and settled as a “squatter” in about 1804 in what became White County a couple of years later.
From there, some of his children and grandchildren spread westward to Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and even farther west. As they moved, some branches of the family adopted changes of the surname, to such iterations as Hastings, Hasting, Hastin, and Hastain. Apparently, they became convinced that their European ancestors were English, thus the changes to names more acceptable to English clerks and their English neighbors.
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The Centuries-Old Mystery of Daniel Haston’s Mother
Clues to the Identity of Daniel Haston's Mother
A Centuries-Old Mystery
The family of Henrich Hiestand has been thoroughly researched for many years, but the identity of his wife has never been conclusively determined. However, if you dig very deeply into Henrich Hiestand family research you will find that there has been no lack of wholly undocumented speculations as to her family name.
What We Know
- When Daniel’s father (Henrich/Henry Hiestand) arrived from Germany in Pennsylvania in about 1727, he was single.
- By approximately 1733 or so, Henry was married. Barbara, his firstborn child was born in about 1734 in Lancaster County, PA. And Jacob was born a couple or so years later.
- Henry’s wife bore at least eight children, five boys and three girls. She may have given birth to others, but these eight we know survived into adulthood.
- Land records inform us of the Mennonite families that were living around Henry Hiestand in Hempfield Township of Lancaster County.
- There is no marriage record or other reliable document that tells us who Henry Hiestand married.
- Consequently, we can not say for certain who was the mother of Daniel Hiestand/Haston and his siblings.
- Henry’s wife (Daniel’s mother) died on January 12, 1777, in what was then Shenandoah County, VA, as per a family record in Peter Hiestand’s Bible. Peter, an older brother of Daniel, was born in about 1738 and was approximately 10 or 12 years older than Daniel.
Clues to the Possible Identity of Daniel's Mother
I certainly can NOT say for sure who Henry’s wife / Daniel’s mother was. But I think there is enough evidence to hypothesize who she may have been, at least the identity of her maiden surname.
There is a common Hiestand family tradition that Henry married a Kauffman (Coffman) in about 1732. For example, when introducing Henry Hiestand in his 2002 book, Hiestand of Virginia, David B. Trimble wrote: “…married ____ (Kauffman?) about 1732.” That guess is plausible due to Henry’s proximity to the Coffmans, especially John Coffman, in East Hempfield Township of Lancaster County. And the Hiestand family’s later interactions with and nearness to Kauffmans from the same Kauffman/Coffman family in Virginia may add support to the Hiestand-Coffman marriage theory. If so, Daniel Haston’s mother was a Coffman. But some other family names have been hypothesized.
There is no known-to-me documentation to prove or disprove that theory. The two-volume 1937 set of books on the Kauffman family by Charles Fahs Kauffman does not mention a marriage between Henry Hiestand and a member of the Coffman/Kauffman family.[i] So apparently Charles Fahs Kauffman was not aware of a marriage involving Henry Hiestand and a Coffman woman, even though he did record numerous other connections between Hiestands and Coffmans.
[i] Kauffman, Charles Fahs. A Genealogy and History of the Kauffman-Coffman Families of North America, 1584 to 1937, Parts One and Two; including Brief Outlines of Allied Swiss and Palatine Families Who Were among the Pioneer Settlers in Lancaster and York Counties of Pennsylvania from 1717 On; Viz., Becker, Baer, Correll, Erisman, Fahs, Kuntz, Kneisley, Hershey, Hiestand, Meyers, Musselman, Neff, Martin, Ruby, Snavely, Shenk, Shirk, Sprenkle, Witmer, and Others. (York, PA: printed by the author, 1940).
Due to the limitations of mtDNA (female DNA) to pinpoint ancestral connections, at this time genetic research is not helpful in identifying the family background of Henry’s wife.
Coffman/Kauffman family records suggest that John Coffman was born about 1700 and died in 1755,[i] so he and Henry Hiestand were close to the same age (1704, Henry’s birth year). If Henry married a Hempfield or Manor Township Coffman, she would not have been John Coffman’s daughter, but perhaps a sister or other close relative.
[i] Kauffman, 481.
The Hempfield Township John Coffman of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania was a brother of Martin Kauffman, a Mennonite minister who moved to what is now Page County, Virginia,[i] and lived near the Henry Hiestand family.* In a later chapter, you will see that Henry Hiestand’s family had some significant connections to John Coffman’s minister brother, Martin Kauffman, and Martin’s son and grandson, both also named Martin Kauffman.
*Seven miles down the winding South Fork of the Shenandoah River or about five miles over land northeast from Martin Kauffman to Henry Hiestand.
[i] Ellen Coffman, “The Genetic Genealogy of Some Mennonite and Amish Kauffman-Coffman Families,” Mennonite Family History, XXV, no. 4 (October 206), 203.
Isaac C. Haston – Jesse C. Haston
One early Mennonite tradition may offer a clue to the identity of Henry Hiestand’s wife. The letter “C” was the middle initial for at least two of Daniel Haston’s children, Isaac and Jesse, the only two whose middle initials I am aware of. One prolific 20th Century Mennonite author and seminary professor, John C. Wenger,[i] wrote:
It should be noted that the bride’s surname was always preserved in the form of the middle name of every child. For example, Jacob Funk married Susanna Fretz and they were the parents of John F. Funk. There was simply no question as to what the middle initial of the children would be; the bride’s surname settled that.[ii]
[i] J. Denny Weaver, “John C. Wenger (1910-1995),” Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online, accessed October 21, 2023, https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Wenger,_John_C._(1910-1995).
[ii] Wenger, 28.
When Daniel’s father, Henry Hiestand, married, he was living among several Coffman families. Think about it.